Calling 911

[disneychrista]

Have you ever had a need to call 911?

My coworker & I were discussing how another coworker (different department) made a comment about being a "pro" at calling 911. Which lead to a discussion about why she called 911 so often.


I have never once called 911. I have called the police or sheriff department directly but never 911. What about you? Have you called 911? Have you done it multiple times?

 

[slo]

I have called 911 once when I was involved in a hit and run car accident about 6-7 years ago. Outside of that, I've never had a reason to call 911.

My DH is a retired volunteer fireman for our town, and it would shock everyone here, if you would hear about all the nonsense 911 calls that were called in. And when I say nonsense, I mean NONSENSE. My husband could write a book about all the crazy calls he went on during his time on the fire department

 

[BrianL]

I have when it has been necessary. I believe the first time I ever did was when I was at work at Blockbuster, and there was a bad car crash in the intersection right outside. Also once when the fan in the bathroom caught fire one morning - and we're standing outside letting the fire department do their thing and people were still walking up to me asking when we'd be open! Fortunately it wasn't a serious fire, but we still ahd to wait for the all-clear.

I also called once when my grandfather was sick. My mom and grandmother both wouldn't do it. My mom has this weird thing where she worries, "Well, what if he's not really sick enough...." They don't punish you for good-faith mistakes. I called and had an ambulance sent there - and, yes, he was plenty sick enough!

 

[Disneefun]

Twice: Once when the gas furnace acted up and nearly caught fire, and second when the neighbors' bonfire escaped into the woods. Both times successfully dealt with with minimal damage.

I have a coworker, though, that calls every time they have a medical issue. Not necessarily an emergency. They strongly believe that if they arrive at the ER by ambulance, they will be seen sooner, so it's easier to cal 911 than to go to urgent care, or walk into the ER. (Not that most of the stuff they go for even requires the ER.)

They just use the ambulance like an Uber. They donate to the county EMS service and doing so gets them "free" ambulance rides. It's a nice program that keeps people from getting pounded by ambulance bills, but people like her are going to ruin it by abusing it. I had it for my parents and it was a godsend because they were very elderly and couldn't get out of the house without assistance, so every medical thing required transport. And as old as they were, it was usually a true emergency, anyway. I'd hate for other people to lose access to that program because of people like my coworker. Rant over.)

I've tried to explain that they still will go through triage and anything urgent and life threatening will be seen before them, but I cannot convince her to quit doing this. She thinks that because she's taken in via the ambulance area that it's some kind of ER FastPass.

 

[disneychrista]

I have called 911 once when I was involved in a hit and run car accident about 6-7 years ago. Outside of that, I've never had a reason to call 911.

My DH is a retired volunteer fireman for our town, and it would shock everyone here, if you would hear about all the nonsense 911 calls that were called in. And when I say nonsense, I mean NONSENSE. My husband could write a book about all the crazy calls he went on during his time on the fire department

My coworker that I was discussing this with used to work dispatch for the city. She and your husband could collaborate on the book. She has told me a few crazy stories on calls she has taken.

 

[unrequited23]

Only once. I was 17, working at a local donut shop. One of our 'regulars' fell to the floor and had a seizure. I had been warned that this might happen when I was hired, but it was scary at the time.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I've called 6 or so times. A couple times when I was involved in a car accident, twice when I was the witness to car accidents, once when someone was trying to break into my neighbors house and possibly another time or two that I'm not remembering.

 

[firefly_ris]

Yes, twice. Sounds nuts but first time was when my youngest daughter was mauled by our foster dog and then again 3 years later when my son was impaled by a tree.

 

[Disneylover99]

I’ve called multiple times over the years.
Car accidents, falls, break and enters are calls that come to mind.

 

[barkley]

a few times for medical emergencies, once when we had a roof collapse and a handful of times due to an erratic and unstable neighbor.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I have called 911 a few times, the latest when my granddaughter stopped breathing during an asthma attack. The EMTs tried so hard to save her, but could not. That night is burned into my memory. Tori was just 6 years old.

 

[kdonnel]

I have never called 911, though I have stood at the end of the driveway to greet the ambulance 4-5 times after others have called.

I have also been driving when my passenger has called several times. Because of an accident we witnessed, a drunk driver, and vehicle fires.

 

[georgina]

With a family history of heart disease, I had DH call 911 for me once when I was having bad chest pains. I have a tendency to under-react to problems, but have had it drilled in to me not to wait on that. My town goes a bit overboard for this type of call, sending a ambulance and a whole fire truck with about 6 people. It was a bit embarrassing, but they did a mobile EKG which looked OK and told me I could decide if I wanted to be transported to the hospital or just follow up with my regular doctor. My primary care doc said it was good to call 911, he was not sure he agreed with them letting me decide.

 

[firefly_ris]

I have called 911 a few times, the latest when my granddaughter stopped breathing during an asthma attack. The EMTs tried so hard to save her, but could not. That night is burned into my memory. Tori was just 6 years old.

I am so so sorry. My children both lived and I still have out of nowhere panic attacks when the memories of those moments suddenly come into my mind. I cannot imagine losing them.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Once when I was in college and was working at Spirit Halloween. My boss (technically only 2 years older than me) had type 1 diabetes .He told me that he was feeling off that day and if he called me on the walkie talkie to come back in the back stock area to him. It was probably about an hour or so later and he called me. I got someone to take over the cash register and went back there where I found him laying on the ground with his head and half his body luckily on a wooden pallet (compared to the hard concrete) where he was in diabetic shock. I called 911, stayed on the phone while they were on their way and then went out to meet them so I could direct them to the back to where he was at. The store manager arrived sometime later as he was being taken away by ambulance and he had commented how calm I was..at the time I didn't know how to be any other way. I do not know what I would be like now.

Another time 911 was called on my behalf when I was rear-ended, they took a report and then issued a ticket to the other driver.

Way back when I was young I remember 911 being called when my dad was rear ended pushed sideways into the guardrail, I remember the police officer asking if we were okay and we were but I don't have much memory other than that.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Twice...

1. We were in a bad car accident and I called from the scene as soon as I regained consciousness.
2. A couple of years ago, I walked outside to get the mail and a man carrying a gun came running through my yard while he was chasing his dogs. He never pointed it at me but irate and visibly armed seemed like a good reason.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My coworker that I was discussing this with used to work dispatch for the city. She and your husband could collaborate on the book. She has told me a few crazy stories on calls she has taken.

I think people think they are supposed to call 911 for just about everything when of course that's not the case, it just is sorta permeated throughout communication.

But there's also not knowing when something is supposed to be a police matter vs a civil matter. Many tend to just think it's a police matter but it ends up being a civil matter (neighbor issues often fall into that...in the beginning at least until or if it escalates beyond that). Then if it's a police matter then don't realize that something isn't always an emergency so they just assume call 911.

Around here they try to make sure people are aware of the non-emergent line for the police departments but no that doesn't mean people always adhere to it. 4th of July is a common time period where they try to make sure unless there's an active fire or imminent risk of something very bad happening don't call 911 just call the non-emergent line to report people shooting off fireworks illegally (the police are too busy to get to those calls majority of the time anyhow).

 

[evilmommie]

I live in Southern California the majority of the time and drive all the major freeways. So yes, I have called 911 several times. Unfortunately, due to witnessing serious car & motorcycle accidents.

 

[Kitty 34]

Yes, a couple of times.

 

[Deb]

multiple times over the course of my life. Most recently a few years ago one of my neighbors was having some sort of verbal ( as far as I could tell) altercation outside their house. I was firmly in the "not my business, ignore" area until I heard someone yell "call 911" and decided I couldn't not call after I heard that. When the operator asked if I wanted to speak with the officer when they arrived, I told them I would just as soon stay out of it