So embarassed - DS 1.5 called 911 . . . SCARY UPDATE - post 28

[clori]

When my dd9 was 4.5 we were at my parents house on Thanksgiving. I was in the bathroom giving my 5 month old a bath. In my old bedroom there is a telephone that looks like an old telephone in a booth. It is a real phone but looks fake. At some point my 4 year old had gone in that room and must have called 911 and dropped the phone.

Now my parents are elderly 77/81 at the time and both are hard of hearing. My husband was there and not sure of the house number for my parents house. According to my husband two cops showed up and rang the bell. My parents answered and told the cops they must have the wrong address and we were all fine. My husband went out and couldn't even confirm the house number but told the cops that he would go check on us.

My husband opened the bathroom door and saw that we were both okay. I was getting the baby dressed. All I heard was the men in blue are here and he ran out. He found my dd4 playing in my old bedroom with the phone off the hook. He picked up the phone and heard the dispatcher. He was able to talk to the dispatcher and told him the cops were there and we were all fine. By then we all went downstairs. My father was busy inviting the cops to Thanksgiving dinner and my mom was telling them to hurry since they were at the wrong address. The cops were laughing as they left.

 

[connorsmom911]

Just had to chime in here with my story, a bit of a reversal. I'm a 911 dispatcher for the fire dept. When my older son was 2 and at daycare, they did a lesson on fire safety in the daycare center (which is in a school). They taught the kids the basics about fire safety, what to do when there's a fire, evacuating, etc. Problem is that the school is a newer one, and it complies with all the disability act regulations and has everything accessible for someone in a wheelchair, like light switches and the fire alarm pull station. My son, smart little cookie that he is, puts two and two together, runs up to the pull station and yells "Mommy!" Of course I was on nightshift at the time, so I was at home sleeping, but my wonderful co-workers showed up at the school to investigate the alarm and recognized my kid as the perpetrator! The teasing continues to this day, and ds is nearly 7!

When I picked him up from daycare the next day, we had a good laugh of course, but I suggested that they may want to hold off on teaching the 2 yr old room about pulling the fire alarm. Thankfully for my ego, mine wasn't the only kid who pulled the alarm that day...I got to dispatch the exact same call that night when I got to work, another 2 yr old pulling the fire alarm!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I have two stories myself...

One I posted here and really got raked over the coals for. It was my first month alone in a new house in an unfamiliar city. So I was kind of jumpy. (I moved from a tiny town where nobody locks their doors to the Kansas City Metro Area.) I got a weird phone call, and not long after I thought I heard somebody trying to break in. I panicked and called 911. The police were very nice and checked to maker sure nobody was there. I feel like a total idiot now. I completely overreacted, but at the time I was positive there was somebody outside my house. I have since reactivited my alarm system which makes me feel a lot better.

The other incident we had was with our neighbors in my hometown. It was March and I was home for spring break. We could hear our neighbors arguing outside their house. My mom was getting ready to go outside when she said she thought she heard gunshots. I told her to get back in the house and then we heard the sound again. We called 911 and told them the whole situation. A couple of cars showed up and we found out that yes the couple had been arguing, but the sound we heard was fireworks. Some relatives had dropped by so their sons had decided to set off some fireworks. They were actually very nice about it. The quote from the wife was, "At least we know the neighbors care." Their later was a true domestic violence call to that house and subsequent divorce. They don't live there anymore.

Oh, one other one that sticks out in my mind. My mom called the police (not 911) to report my dad missing. He is always in bed by 8. Well, she got home from the hospital and he wasn't there. She had forgotten that he told her that they were running tests on their project at work. She called his cell and he wouldn't answer. She told me she knew he wasn't having an affair because he took the minivan instead of the Cruiser. (Nevermind that that is completely out of character.) At about 1am she reported him missing. They did look for the van. When he walked in, she called them back. She was very embarassed. I was just surprised they were willing to sort of halfway look that soon. I thought most missing adults cases had to wait 24 or 48 hours.

 

[NotUrsula]

Oh, one other one that sticks out in my mind. My mom called the police (not 911) to report my dad missing. He is always in bed by 8. Well, she got home from the hospital and he wasn't there. She had forgotten that he told her that they were running tests on their project at work. She called his cell and he wouldn't answer. She told me she knew he wasn't having an affair because he took the minivan instead of the Cruiser. (Nevermind that that is completely out of character.) At about 1am she reported him missing. They did look for the van. When he walked in, she called them back. She was very embarassed. I was just surprised they were willing to sort of halfway look that soon. I thought most missing adults cases had to wait 24 or 48 hours.

Oh, well, if we're going to talk boneheaded missing persons calls, I nominate my Mom for that prize.

When I was about 15, we were living out in the sticks, and rather typically for a girl that age, I often argued with my Mom. One day I really got ticked off, and rather than say something that I knew I'd pay for, I just stormed out of the house with the dog, and I went and sat on top of the HUGE propane tank out in the back yard in order to sulk. (The tank was about 30 yards from the house, completely visible out of the back window.)

What does my mother do? Yep, she calls 911 (actually, we didn't have 911 service there at that time, so she called the county sheriff's office.)
Thirty minutes later a cruiser comes tearing down our gravel road and comes to a screeching halt outside the house. Naturally, I notice this and walk around the house to see what is going on, just in time to hear my mother launch into this horrific story about how I had run away from home and been missing for ages.

At this point, I'm standing about 10 feet behind her with the dog at my feet, trying desperately not to crack up. The deputy figures out in a flash who I am, but decides to let my mother down easy ...

Deputy: "OK, ma'am, you say she's blond, green eyes, 130 lbs., about 5'4", long hair, jeans, flowered shirt, boots -- that about right?"
My mom: "That's right -- but I haven't given you the description yet." Deputy: "Yes, ma'am, but she's standing right behind you."

Naturally, my mother turns on me with the fury of 1000 demons, but the deputy isn't finished yet.
Deputy: "Miss? How long ago did you leave the house?"
Me: "About 30 minutes ago."
Deputy: "And where did you go?"
Me: "The back yard. I was sitting on the propane tank petting the dog." Deputy: "Is that tank visible from the house, ma'am?"
Mom: "Yes, but ..."
Deputy: "I think we've solved this one, ma'am. Next time, could you look out of the window before you file a missing persons report?"