The City of Cape Town’s Public Emergency Communication Centre, with 68 call takers, is ready for the uptick in emergency calls over the festive season.

‘The centre provides a one stop shop for emergencies and the past festive season has shown a definite increase in the number of calls compared to the previous one. This is despite the lockdown, restrictions and fewer visitors. However, there is a drop in the number of hoax calls, which is very welcome news. Hoax and prank calls tie up essential resources and prevent access for people who have real emergencies,’ said the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Number of calls received (prank calls are not included in the total):

December           January Total      Prank calls

2019/2020           44 666   41 772   86 438   2 152

2020/2021           51 486   39 656   91 142   727

The breakdown of the calls remained stable compared to the previous season.

‘The bulk of the calls have always been medical calls. PECC strives to ensure ample staffing, especially over the festive season. Our 68 highly trained emergency communicators work on a shift basis and are able to communicate in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. More than 80% of calls are answered within 10 seconds. Those who call the centre are often injured, in pain or panicked, and they need someone on the other end of the line who can handle the situation. When they get through to the PECC they connect with a trained person who can deal with the situation and direct calls to the appropriate service,’ said Alderman Smith.

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The PECC first started operating as the centralised hub for emergency calls to City emergency services on 1 August 2000.

Call takers are also able to reroute calls to external agencies like Metro Emergency Medical Services and the South African Police Service.

It also features the latest technology courtesy of the Emergency Policing and Incident Command (EPIC) system, which provides integrated call-taking and dispatching across all of the City’s emergency services.

The public may call the PECC in any event of life or property threatening emergencies.

When you call the centre, keep these tips in mind:

• Make sure you have the information and details about the emergency ready
• Make sure you have the exact location of the incident
• Ensure that you have the number saved on your mobile phone: 021 480 7700 or dial 107 from a landline.

Source: City Of Cape Town