Hoax fire calls on the rise

HOAX calls to fire stations are increasing because callers are less afraid of being recognised, the Chief Fire Officers Association was told yesterday.

Under a new communications system installed by the Irish fire service called the Computer Aided Mobilisation Project (CAMP), all emergency calls are automatically diverted to central call centres manned by professional operators. They instantly send alerts to the nearest fire station and page the beepers of all its firemen.

But although the system has improved the response time of the fire service, it has also emboldened the hoaxers because the chances of their voice being recognised is greatly reduced.