What counts as a legitimate 911 emergency is undefined

Evidence

Being able to call 911 at any time during the day or night is undoubtedly reassuring for individuals who might find themselves in emergency situations. But what is it that makes someone call 911? When is it socially acceptable to call, and how do we establish what a real emergency is? Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are unclear. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 267 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

While fraudulent calls are penalized with fees and even possible jail time, such punishments only apply to egregious cases, where it is clear that the caller was far from being in an emergency situation (Brouhard, 2018). The rather relaxed nature of how these laws are enforced is emphasized in the guidelines provided for calling 911. Indeed, the United States Emergency Assistance website states that “if you’re not sure whether the situation is a true emergency, officials recommend calling 911 and letting the call-taker determine whether you need emergency help,” thus legitimizing almost any type of call (National 911 Program, n.d.). — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 268 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Many years ago, when emergency dispatch systems were first put into effect, it was the dispatchers’ responsibility to filter out which calls needed to be prioritized and which did not (International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, n.d.). This, unfortunately, did not provide for a fair and unbiased system, considering that the dispatch system typically sends off first responders to approximately 240 million calls each year. Starting with the 1980s, a protocol was put into effect to standardize dispatchers’ communication with callers. Today, most dispatch systems follow the protocol of the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) and while this helps eliminate some forms of individual bias that could affect the caller (e.g., not sending help because the dispatcher does not believe the caller), it also makes it more difficult to filter out calls that are not urgent, or rather, calls that might not qualify as emergencies at all. The information that the dispatchers have to ask for before sending a first responder to the scene is very limited and includes the location of the emergency, the phone number the person is calling from, the nature of the emergency, and a physical description of the person suspected of committing a crime (National 911 Program, n.d.). — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 284 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The social norms defining a legitimate emergency call remain undefined — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at…, 267; Standardized emergency dispatch protocols remove one bias while blocking filter checks on caller validity — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at…, 284; Official 911 guidance legitimizes nearly any call as an emergency — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at…, 268

Broader Connections

• The social norms defining a legitimate emergency call remain undefined #corroborates (0.95) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 267
• Official 911 guidance legitimizes nearly any call as an emergency #complicates (0.80) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 268
• Standardized emergency dispatch protocols remove one bias while blocking filter checks on caller validity #complicates (0.72) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 284