NYC inundated with accidental 911 calls

NEW YORK, May 9 (UPI) -- An independent consultant's report on New York's emergency communications system revealed authorities receive nearly 4 million accidental 911 calls per year.

The report, released by Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office Friday, revealed the city averages about 10,700 accidental 911 calls per day, with many of them "butt dials" being caused by contact with a phone while it's in a back pocket or purse, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

"The increased proliferation of cellular telephones has caused a dramatic increase in the number of accidental 911 calls made," the report said.

The report suggested city officials do more to prevent the accidental calls, such as keeping track of the phones that make repeated false 911 calls and studying the cause of the calls.