Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Tue, 25 Jun 91 11:33 PDT From: Ed_Greenberg@3mail.3com.com Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Emergency Calls (was Operator Busy Break-In) Message-ID: Organization: TELECOM Digest Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 489, Message 6 of 12 Lines: 30 Patrick states that you are required to relinquish your private non- party telephone in an emergency. He cites the example of a neighbor knocking on your door and demanding that you call the fire department on his behalf. Let's leave aside the callousness required to refuse. I find nothing in the San Jose/Santa Clara white pages backing this up, at least for California. What I do find is this: WARNING -- Give Up Your Party Line in an Emergency California Penal Code section 384 makes it a misdemeanor for any person to willfully refuse to immediately relinquish a telephone party line when informed that such line is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or ambulance service. Also, any person who shall secure the use of a telephone party line by falsely stating that such line is needed for an emergency call, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. "Emergency" means "a situation in which property or human life is in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential." I don't see where, under THIS statute, I am required to involve myself in a neighbor's fire or medical emergency. Not that I'm such a nasty person that I would refuse. Further, I can't see where I am required by THIS statute to give up my line when an operator breaks in, although, again, I can't imagine refusing.