.
>> EMERGENCY CALLS TO 911.
>> STAUBED TOE, SHAM PIN
POO IN THE
EYES.
>> A WOMAN WITH CAUGHT
FINGERNAIL.
>> NO.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE REAL
STROKE, SECONDS COUNT.
>> TONIGHT, ONE CITY HAS HAD
INVESTIGATES.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUR
TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING WASTED
BY PEOPLE WHO DIAL 911 FOR THE
SMALLEST OF ISSUES.
>> AND THAT MEANS WHEN YOU
HAVE A TRUE EMERGENCY,
PARAMEDICS COULD BE UNABLE TO
GET TO YOU.
>> LOCAL 10 INVESTIGATOR JEFF
WEINSTEIN JOINS US LIVE FROM
>> Reporter: YOU KNOW, YOU
HEAR ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME,
BUT IT'S REALLY UNBELIEVABLE
TO SEE IT, TO SHOW UP ON A
CALL, THREE PARAMEDICS, A
MILLION DOLLAR RESCUE UNIT TO
TAKE A LOOK.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE THESE,
AS WELL, THE BAY IS EMPTY AND
THE PARAMEDICS ON ANOTHER
CALL, AND AS YOU WATCH, THIS
ASK YOURSELF IF YOU HAD A
HEART ATTACK OR A MAJOR
EMERGENCY, WOULD THE CLOSEST
PARAMEDICS BE AVAILABLE.
LIGHTS, SIRENS, RACING TO AN
EMERGENCY, IT'S AN
EPIDEMICALLY WOMAN BLEEDIN
WHEN THEY ARRIVE ON SCENE,
IT'S A CUT PINKY REQUIRING NO
MORE THAN A BAND AID.
THE FIRE RESCUE TRUCK AND THE
THREE PARAMEDICS TIED UP FOR
MORE THAN A HALF HOUR.
>> YES.
>> IS THAT UNUSUAL?
>> NO.
>> THE TYPES OF CALLS AND T
AMOUNTS OF CALLS THAT DON'T
REALLY REQUIRE A 911 RESPONSE
ARE INCREASING.
>> THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO
THE DOCTOR FOR EMERGENCY ROOM
SOMETIMES.
>> WE RODE WITH FIRE RESCUE
205, THEY WERE CALLED TO A MAN
WITH HEMORRHOIDS, A WOMAN WITH
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS AND SOMEONE
NOT FEELING WELL.
>> THERE IS NO BILL.
>> Reporter: THE PARAMEDICS
SITUATION.
>> LET US FINISH.
WE'RE JUST CHECKING YOUR BLOOD
PRESSURE.
NO MEDICAL ISSUE.
>> DID YOU CALL US MAYBE
YOU'RE LONELY AND YOU MISSED
>> YES.
>> SHE WANTS TO EAT AND IT'S
SOMEBODY TO TALK TO.
>> THE CALLS FROM HOLLYWOOD
HAVE GONE FROM 15,000 IN 1998
TO 30,000 AND HOLLYWOOD HAS
ONLY EIGHT RESCUE UNITS.
>> IF THERE IS A HEART ATTACK
OR A STROKE, SECOND COUNT.
>> Reporter: PARAMEDICS TELL
US 70% OF THEIR CALLS ARE NOT
HAVE TO RESPOND.
>> A STUBBED TOE, SHAMPOO IN
THE EYES.
>> A BROKEN FINGERNAIL.
>> IT'S EXPENSIVE TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL AND LONG WAIT TIMES.
>> THE FREE AMBULANCE CARES IS
NOW OVER.
IT'S NOW 160 IF YOU ARE
TREATED AND NOT TRANSPORTED.
>> WE CHECK YOU, DO GLUCOSE,
PRESSURE.
WE APPLY A BANDAGE, AND GIVE
YOU ALL THESE THINGS THAT COST
MONEY.
>> CITIES LIKE PLANTATION
CHARGE A $50 CIVILIAN ASSIST
FEES FOR NON-EMERGENCY CALLS,
BUT MOST FIRE RESCUE
DEPARTMENTS DON'T CHARGE FOR
TREATMENT.
SOME CALM IT A TAX ON THE POOR
SAYING COLLECTING FROM THOSE
THAT ABUSE THE SYSTEM IS
USUALLY [INAUDIBLE] AND BEFORE
HOLLYWOOD SET THIS FEE, THERE
COMMISSION.
>> IT'S DOUBLE TAXING THE
OUT.
>> IT'S AN EXPENSE, AND IT
NEEDS TO BE RECOVERED.
>> THIS IS NOT A DOUBLE TAX,
BECAUSE WE DON'T USE THE FIRE
SERVICE.
>> WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY THAT
THOUGHT IT WAS AN EMERGENCY TO
NOT CALL.
>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME
COMMON SENSE.
>> CALVI LAURIE, THIS IS A
NATIONWIDE PROBLEM AND MANY
WILL WATCH TO SEE HOW THIS
WORKS IN HOLLYWOOD AND
HOLLYWOOD BELIEVES THEY CAN
GENERATE SOME $400,000 A YEAR
WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.