“The 1771 information helpline is momentarily suspended after 25 days,” revealed the Home Office in a press statement on Tuesday. The number was made available last November 21st when the terror threat alert in and around Brussels was raised to its highest level.
“Over 25 days, people answering on the 1771 line received a total of 23,491 calls in French, Dutch, German and English, with peak hour levels reaching 3,295 calls per hour on Sunday, November 22nd 2015. The number of calls dropped dramatically at the end of November. This week we are getting approximately ten calls a day,” reads the press release.
The decision was made therefore to put the line on standby, but it can be reactivated at any time. “The crisis centre benefits from a ‘Crisis Centre Contact’ structure which can be re-launched in an hour in case of an emergency situation, thanks to a framework agreement with IPG. The structure is available to aldermen and governors in case they need to plan for emergencies and to manage crisis situations,” insists the Home Office, adding that information is always available on the Crisis centre website, Facebook page and Twitter account.
(Source: Belga)
