‘Mischief calls’ delay emergency response for subway assistance system

NEW YORK (PIX11) – ‘Mischief calls’ have plagued the subway’s ‘Help Point’ system, according to the MTA inspector general.

An audit found that many emergency calls went unanswered or experienced long delays due to these mischievous calls. Half of the calls made to the ‘Help Point’ intercom system over a six-month period were revealed to be pranks.

The OIG audit found that almost 2,000 emergency calls went unanswered. The calls included drivers trying to report injured passengers, people being threatened or harassed, or an unauthorized person on the tracks.

Part of the problem, according to the MTA Inspector General, is that calls are answered in the order they are received, meaning urgent calls are not prioritized. There were also technical glitches and personnel problems in the system.

The audit found that the NYC Transit system was unaware of the problems because it did not analyze or review performance statistics.

The inspector general called on the MTA to develop a plan with the NYPD to deter mischief calls and find ways to prioritize emergency calls, with recommendations.