OUTAGAMIE COUNTY (NBC 26) — "We get them every day. I mean, multiple calls an hour," said Maddy Weix, who has been a dispatcher at the Outagamie County Communications Center for three years.
NBC 26 had the chance to speak with her at the Outagamie County Communications Center in Appleton.
Weix explains that when someone calls 911 and hangs up without explaining the situation, dispatchers must take additional steps to ensure the caller's safety.
In July alone, Outagamie County dispatchers handled 340 abandoned 911 calls, requiring them to make at least that many outbound calls to verify no emergencies existed. Dispatchers also processed 955 misdials, including both hang-ups and callers who stayed on the line after misdialing. These accidental calls represented 22% of the 4,212 total 911 calls received in July.
Officers spent an average of 14 minutes and 25 seconds on each misdial, taking first responders away from potential emergencies.
The problem extends beyond just one county. Winnebago County faced an even larger challenge with 800 calls in July where the communications center couldn't verify if they were hangups or real emergencies — all of which turned out to be nothing. They handled an additional 489 calls that were verified as misdials or hangups.
In total, Winnebago County processed 1,289 misdials or calls that didn't require emergency services out of 5,321 total calls in July.
Brown County reported similar issues with 1,157 911 hangups and 485 "911 assists" — calls where the person misdialed but remained on the line.
"Typically depending on the nature of it, we'll screen it up as a misdial. Sometimes we hear active things going on in the background, so sometimes we'll screen it up differently. Whether it's a disturbance or welfare," Weix said.
If the communication center can't verify that it's a misdial or mixup, they have to send an officer or deputy out to check in-person—one less authority available when real emergencies occur.
"Money isn't the concern. It's the time wasted. The cop will be there no matter what, but it could be time spent responding to emergencies in progress," said Lara Vendola, Communications Captain with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.
So being able to immediately verify a misdial saves precious time and potentially lives.
"30 seconds is more valuable time for us and it frees up the officer quicker than for them to drive 10 minutes to that house to confirm there's no emergency," Weix said.
Officials recommend staying on the line and explaining the mistake to the dispatcher, who needs to verify your name, location and confirm there's no emergency.
Authorities also warn against making prank calls to 911, which is both dangerous and illegal.
Parents should be aware that cellphones without active service can still call 911, so they shouldn't be given to children as toys.
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