Whether a deliberate false alarm or a mistake, a 911 text sent emergency personnel on a tiresome and wasteful search in the woods in late March.

A potential hoaxster hit the county with 11 separate 911 calls or texts from the same number. Many were handled as an open 911 line, and dispatchers were unable to take any action because the person wouldn’t say a word and didn’t provide a precise call location.

According to public records, the caller made calls at 2:02 p.m., 2:04 p.m., 2:05 p.m., 2:27 p.m., 2:36 p.m., 3:50 p.m., and 3:53 p.m. on March 16 and then calls at 11:50 a.m., 12:36 p.m., 12:38 p.m., and 12:43 p.m. on March 23.

In most of the calls, the line remained open and then suddenly cut off. Dispatchers note in several of the Computer-Assisted Dispatch (CAD) reports, “No one there, on recall got v/m [voice mail,] none left” or “No one there, on call back rings, goes to fast busy.”

The call at 12:43 p.m. on March 23 was the most significant. It elicited a full-blown emergency response. PacCom received the call as a text-to-911 using a cell phone’s satellite feature.

“A user is requesting emergency services from an apple device via satellite. Transmit and receive times may be longer than for cellular sms. User responses may be delayed due to satellite movements. The user cannot make or receive a voice call because they are outside cellular coverage. The user requests help with a fire emergency, this request is for multiple people,” the text-to-911 read.

Massive response

Responders were toned out from the Raymond Fire Department (RFD), Pacific County Fire District No. 3 (PCFD3), South Bend Fire Department (SBFD), South Beach Regional Fire Authority (SBRF), Shoalwater Bay Police Department, Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office, and Washington State Patrol.

The call resulted in nearly a dozen fire department apparatus responding to the alleged incident. Agencies also had to shuffle remaining units between the departments to ensure that there could be an adequate response if an actual emergency happened.

According to the call’s GPS location, the cell phone pinged between the State Route 105 side of Elk River and the State Route 105 side of Johns River in Grays Harbor County, up logging roads in dense forest.

At one point, RFD Chief Bill Didion requested dispatch contact the U.S. Coast Guard to see if a helicopter could fly the area to ensure there was no emergency — which the federal agency denied because no helicopters were airborne.

The frustration with the call was apparent and could be heard in the voice of PCFD3 Chief Tyson Wetteraurer when he decided to pull his rig over outside of Tokeland until it was figured out what was actually going on.

“All I know for a fact is that the GPS coordinates put it in a remote location on one map, and Tokeland on another, and somehow mile marker 38 on State Route 105 area with another,” Wetteraurer said.

“PCFD3 responded with two tenders and one engine. SBFD responded with a brush truck and an engine, and RFD responded with a medic unit. SBRF was asked to be toned out, and they checked the area at or near mile marker 38. Nothing found at any of the locations,” Wetteraurer added.

Strains resources

The CAD report for the call shows that the first unit responded at approximately 12:57 p.m. The last unit cleared the call at 3:25 p.m., meaning responders were tied up with the call for just shy of 2.5 hours.

“When multiple agencies respond to a false report, it not only wastes valuable resources, but it also puts unnecessary strain on emergency responders,” PacCom Director Cait Ochoa said. “This can delay assistance for individuals who are genuinely in need of help.”

“It’s crucial to reserve 911 calls for real emergencies to ensure that emergency services can operate effectively and efficiently,” Ochoa added.

The calls bounced off different cell towers around the county, including one on Radar Ridge in Naselle, one on Doyle Road in Raymond, and one 18 miles west of Raymond. Cell phone towers usually service up to a 25-mile radius.

When asked whether the calls were accidental or deliberate, Ochoa had her opinion.

“We called it back from one of the work cell phones, and a guy answered then hung up when we said we were 911,” Ochoa said.

Dispatch was able to track the cell phone’s movement at least once.

Increasing problem

Hoax calls into emergency dispatch centers nationwide have become an increasing problem, so much so that the FBI has created an online database for agencies to track occurrences.

These hoax calls are often referred to as “swatting,” which originates from hoaxsters calling in a prank emergency call to cause a significant law enforcement response to a particular location.

Pacific County was the victim of a major swatting call on May 11, 2023, when hoaxsters called the Pacific County 911 Dispatch Center (PacCom) to report an active shooter situation at Ilwaco High School and Hilltop Middle School. The prank call was so realistic dispatchers could hear “shots being fired in the background.”

The result was a massive police response to the schools, which found everyone was safe and that there was no shooting or shooters.

Under Washington state law, misuse of 911 can range from a misdemeanor charge of false reporting up to a felony count if it results in a responder’s injury or death.