Large-scale operation at the lock: rescue workers honor a real emergency call!

Large-scale operation at the lock: rescue workers honor a real emergency call!

A comprehensive deployment of rescue workers in Neustadt-Glewe caused a lot of excitement when the incident was reported as over at around two in the morning, after an intensive search operation. A total of 60 rescue workers, including divers, firefighters and police, were mobilized to search for a person who had apparently fallen into the water. Despite all efforts, the operation remained unsuccessful. Today he reports Northern Courier that the police have no further evidence of an accident and there is no report of a missing person.

The reason for the big operation was a loud bang, followed by the observation of a person near the lock. The whistleblower who made the emergency call was praised by the emergency services, even if it turned out that there was no danger. “It was definitely the right thing to call the emergency number,” was the clear statement from the police. This also reinforced that in cases of uncertainty it is better to pick up the phone rather than do nothing when in doubt.

The importance of the emergency call

The incident in Neustadt-Glewe sheds light on the important role that emergency calls play in everyday life. However, according to the current provisions of the German Criminal Code (§ 145 StGB), the misuse of emergency calls can have serious consequences. The legal framework provides for measures involving deprivation of liberty or fines for intentional abuse. For example, up to a year in prison or fines can be imposed if someone intentionally fakes an emergency situation.

However, using the emergency number in an emergency should always be unproblematic and without fear of legal consequences. According to less than encouraging statistics, abusive calls often block the lines needed for real emergencies. The Specialist lawyer reports a worrying increase in such cases of abuse, with the Federal Criminal Police Office documenting almost 11,000 violations of Section 145 of the Criminal Code in 2016.

Legal consequences and prevention

Various measures are taken to effectively counter the misuse of emergency calls. These include both educating the population and regular checks of emergency call systems. Telecommunications providers also play an important role here by developing technologies to identify abusive callers and supporting authorities in prosecuting such acts. Offenses such as feigning an emergency by making false bomb threats or even calling to order a pizza can result in significant penalties.

In summary, although it is essential in the interests of safety to act when in doubt and call emergency services, in the event of intentional misuse, strict measures must be taken to ensure the ability of emergency services to act. It remains to be hoped that the ever-increasing sensitivity to such issues will help ensure that real emergencies are no longer pushed into the background by unnecessary and deliberate false calls. If you are unsure - it is better to call too much than too little.