♪Help! I need somebody...Help! Not just anybody...♪
Living in Sarnia, I get some of the Detroit radio stations - one of them (The WRIF) has a very entertaining morning show, that we listen to on the way to work every morning.
On that morning show, I heard one story in the last 2 weeks that irked me, and today, I heard a second, similar story that also bothered me. Both occurring in Detroit, but could happen anywhere.
The first story: a woman collapses, and her son, who's about 4, calls 911. B/c he is so young, the 911 operator assumes it's fake, and doesn't do anything - no ambulance or anything.
The story this morning: a woman gets shot while arguing with her boyfriend (or maybe husband?) in bed. He then does one civil thing, and brings her the phone to call 911. She calls, and according to the operator, "sounds too normal" even though she claims she's dying. So the operator assumes it's a fake call, and doesn't do anything.
I don't know what the outcome of either story was - I think both women lived, and I think both ended up going to court. But WTF?? In situations like these, the operators NEED to send people out! I know that when I have kids, I'll teach them how to call 911 as soon as they can, b/c it's something that someday I might need them to do! And I think that many parents probably would do the same thing.
Yes, I know that many 911 calls are fake. And some you know they're fake, but in situations like both the above, that cannot be assumed. I thought that you got a fine for a fake 911 call, but apparently not :S And many of the excuses for not doing anything about some of these calls is that they're "short-staffed." Which is ABSURD - an emergency line should NEVER be short-staffed! As they said on the radio, and I agree, if they're short-staffed, then they should implement the fining, and use that money to hire more people!
This type of thing scares the shit out of me. What if, one day, one of my friends, or family members, or even myself, is in some type of trouble, and 911 is called, and the operator thinks that it's a "phony call" and doesn't do anything? This type of thing could cause bigger problems, including death if immediate attention is needed!
**EDIT: I'm apparently not with it, but the woman with the son did die - apparently the operator told the boy that if he didn't put on an adult, she would send out the police & he'd be in trouble, so he hung up. Now the operator is still working, pending investigation, and the family is suing. Very sad :S
On that morning show, I heard one story in the last 2 weeks that irked me, and today, I heard a second, similar story that also bothered me. Both occurring in Detroit, but could happen anywhere.
The first story: a woman collapses, and her son, who's about 4, calls 911. B/c he is so young, the 911 operator assumes it's fake, and doesn't do anything - no ambulance or anything.
The story this morning: a woman gets shot while arguing with her boyfriend (or maybe husband?) in bed. He then does one civil thing, and brings her the phone to call 911. She calls, and according to the operator, "sounds too normal" even though she claims she's dying. So the operator assumes it's a fake call, and doesn't do anything.
I don't know what the outcome of either story was - I think both women lived, and I think both ended up going to court. But WTF?? In situations like these, the operators NEED to send people out! I know that when I have kids, I'll teach them how to call 911 as soon as they can, b/c it's something that someday I might need them to do! And I think that many parents probably would do the same thing.
Yes, I know that many 911 calls are fake. And some you know they're fake, but in situations like both the above, that cannot be assumed. I thought that you got a fine for a fake 911 call, but apparently not :S And many of the excuses for not doing anything about some of these calls is that they're "short-staffed." Which is ABSURD - an emergency line should NEVER be short-staffed! As they said on the radio, and I agree, if they're short-staffed, then they should implement the fining, and use that money to hire more people!
This type of thing scares the shit out of me. What if, one day, one of my friends, or family members, or even myself, is in some type of trouble, and 911 is called, and the operator thinks that it's a "phony call" and doesn't do anything? This type of thing could cause bigger problems, including death if immediate attention is needed!
**EDIT: I'm apparently not with it, but the woman with the son did die - apparently the operator told the boy that if he didn't put on an adult, she would send out the police & he'd be in trouble, so he hung up. Now the operator is still working, pending investigation, and the family is suing. Very sad :S
posted by Jill at
8:13:00 a.m.
4 Comments:
GEEZ, now not only do you have to teach your kids to dial 911, but also sound traumatized and panicked.
Canada is a lot better than Detroit, probably.
By
Anonymous, at 10:00 a.m.
It's unbelievable that things like this happen. Canada may or may not be better - things like this could probably happen anywhere :S
By
Jill, at 10:52 a.m.
Dude, I LOVE the WRIF! Living in Windsor that was my main radio station. I wish we got it here. We saw the dj's at the Kiss concert. YIPES! Talk about old bikers with mullets...
By
Anonymous, at 1:41 p.m.
As in Drew & Mike?? Old men with mullets?? LOL!
By
Jill, at 10:49 a.m.
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