MISSOULA – Missoula County authorities are investigating after a 911 dispatcher apparently broadcast a false report of an explosion last week as an April Fool’s Day prank.
The request for an emergency response came over the airwaves shortly after 8:30 a.m. on April 1, and the dispatcher told local fire and medical emergency services to respond to the Conoco bulk plant in Missoula for a large fire or explosion.
Sheriff Mike McMeekin said the radio call was immediately followed by a request for cancellation. The Missoula County Attorney has asked the sheriff’s department to investigate and determine if a criminal offense occurred.
Emergency Services director Bob Reid said his department would make a personnel decision after interviewing the employees who were there during the prank.
He said the idea originated with one worker and that other employees were present but did not participate. Reid declined to comment further because his office is still interviewing witnesses.
“I don’t want to imply that this was a group activity, or that it was in any way appropriate,” he said. “This is an extraordinary incident that we’re really not pleased with. It’s a serious issue and we are treating it as a serious issue.”
Reid did not know whether emergency crews responded to the false report.
“We’re still trying to determine just how far out of the box this thing got,” he said.