CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Charleston County faces a growing issue of excessive calls to 911 that first responders say not only consumes valuable emergency resources but also costs taxpayers money that could be allocated elsewhere.
So-called 911 “super users” — people who call 911 far more often than experts say is necessary — is stretching emergency response times thin.
Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center Director Jim Lake says most people may never need to dial 911, or may do so only once in a lifetime. However, for super users, calling 911 has become a regular occurrence.
“These calls tie up valuable resources,” Lake says. “No matter how much technology we provide, we don’t know what the call is until we answer it.”
Public records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center received 26,249 calls from “super users” in 2024, costing the county nearly $400,000.(Live 5)
Sometimes, even technology causes problems—like elevator call buttons, Apple Watches or even a poolside phone; one at Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms called 911 an astounding 659 times in the last year alone.
Since 911 dispatchers don’t know what each call is until they are answered, every one of those calls has to be taken seriously.
“It could have been a drowning or CPR situation, so we responded each time as if it were a real emergency,” Isle of Palms Police Sgt. Matt Storen says.
At an average estimated cost of $14.33 per call, Charleston County estimates that just answering the phone at the consolidated dispatch center cost taxpayers over $9,000. Factoring in the full emergency response for repeat calls, the price tag is much higher.
“Six hundred fifty-nine calls from that one phone is incredibly wasteful and we try to put a stop to it as best we can,” Storen said. “It draws on our resources and it ties up not only our first responders but also our dispatchers and 911 call takers.”
Public records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show Charleston County received 26,249 calls from “super users” in 2024, costing the county nearly $400,000.
While laws do exist to penalize the misuse of 911, they are rarely enforced, as authorities don’t want to deter people from calling during real emergencies.
Lake says many of these super users are individuals struggling with substance abuse or other mental health issues. With no one else to turn to, they repeatedly call 911.
“That’s the reason they’re calling,” Lake says. “Because they have no one else to call, nobody else will answer the phone for them. So they call us and again, it’s not only time consuming but it’s stressful for our staff.”
For 911 call-taker and trainer Marea Quijano, some voices are so familiar that she recognizes them as soon as they say “hello.” She works hard to help these individuals, sending first responders like firefighter John Baker, who sees the importance of getting people the help they need without dialing 911.
“We’ve gone to calls where things didn’t seem right, and we get social workers or other support involved,” Baker says. “We want to make sure these people get the care they need, even if they don’t realize how much they’re straining the system.”
Lake believes that public education is the best solution to this problem. Charleston County first responders are working closely with law enforcement and local agencies to address super users and reduce the burden they place on emergency resources. As for the 659 calls from Wild Dunes Resort, a plan has been set in motion to prevent the issue from continuing.
“You should only call 911 to save a life, stop a crime, or report a fire. That’s it,” Lake says.
https://www.live5news.com/2025/02/13/charleston-county-first-responders-crack-down-911-super-users/
