Not A Telemarketing Emergency

(I volunteer with my local rescue unit. I am rostered to have the unit’s emergency phone this week. We don’t go out of our way to advertise the number but we don’t hide it either. I am sitting at home and the phone rings with an out-of-state area code so I expect it to be a wrong number or a telemarketer.)

Me: “[My Name] speaking.”

Caller: “Hello, I am calling on behalf of [Company] to do research on market optimism; can I please speak to a manager?”

(While my direct supervisor is the unit manager, the role reports to a mid-level paid staff member in state headquarters.)

Me: “Sorry, but you have called a unit.”

Caller: “I know; I need to speak to a manager.”

Me: “We aren’t a business; we’re government funded.”

Caller: “I still need to speak with a manager.”

Me: “Sorry. We are a unit and cannot help you. Please lose our number.”

(While this sounds harsh, I don’t get paid for the role and I want to keep the line clear in case we get an actual emergency. I have hung up on telemarketers who insist on selling us a new phone plan despite telling them we are on a government contract.)