2023-10-25 14:59:00
Each year, services 101 (police) and 112 (ambulances and firefighters) handle more than six million calls. While it is estimated that one in four calls does not constitute a real emergency, the other three do, however, require a rapid response from the emergency services. But you still need to be able to reach them. This is what the deputy mayor of Jurbise, Jacqueline Galant, denounces today.
“Let’s be very clear, the agents are in no way being called into question here,” she insists from the outset. “But there is a real concern regarding the workforce. Citizens who call outside office hours and on weekends can no longer reach their local police station; they are therefore invited to form 101.” A number that the mayor dials more or less regularly, as soon as a suspicious situation requires intervention.
The training at the Jurbise police academy is ultimately not subsidized by the Federal… even though it has already been given
A case she faced once more a few days ago. “It took me no less than twenty minutes to get someone on the line. During this time, a message told me that all the operators were busy. Citizens of Jurbise were faced with the same situation a few days ago. They never got an answer and hung up before anyone picked up.”
In the latter case, it was – fortunately – a false alarm. “But these interminable delays are completely abnormal. Imagine being in an emergency situation, of panic, that you are the victim of a wrongdoing. We can’t imagine having to stay on the line for 20 or 30 minutes, answering a whole series of questions and then waiting once more for an intervention team to arrive. This is unimaginable.”
The subject has already been discussed with the head of the Sylle and Dendre police zone. “And I plan to raise the issue once more at the next zone college. He is well aware of the problem. Everyone agrees that by definition, an emergency number must be accessible at all times, in just a few minutes. The people behind him have a lot of merit, are trained and sometimes have to deal with complicated situations, but they must be given the means, particularly human resources, to accomplish their missions.”
Jaqueline Galant therefore intends to send a letter to the competent ministers. “The federal government must tackle the problem head on, free up the means to provide solutions. Citizens have the right to expect quality service, even more so when they find themselves in an emergency situation.” Here, the Mons 101 power plant must cover Hainaut, Walloon Brabant and part of Namur.
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