Mom dies after 911 operator ignores boy's call

[Rollergirl2001]

That's messed up s***!

The dispatcher should be fired. I also smell a lawsuit.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by ZTAngel
---begin rant

I called 911 in Orlando and got a busy signal. When I called back, someone picked up after a few rings.

I called 911 here and an automated machine picked up that said, "An emergency operator will be with you shortly." Shortly my ass. It took almost 5 minutes.

I've had a nightmare before where I'm being chased by a bad guy and I try dialing 911 but I get a busy signal. It's scary to know the nightmare is real!

Thank goodness the times I've called 911 have been for minor car accidents. What if I was bleeding out my eyes after being hit by a semi and someone who was trying to call for an ambulence got put on hold? Those few minutes they're on hold could mean life or death.

-----end rant

Anyway, I feel bad for the kid. The lawsuit will probably get thrown out but I do hope the 911 operator gets fired in the end.

My house was robbed one evening and we called 911 to get the police house. 911 was busy so my mother told my father to hang up. When he did, they called back immediately.

I can sort of see why this operator thought the 1st call was a prank, but after the second call you'd think she might take it a little more seriously.

[Lady of Pearl]

She should have taken that call seriously-most Teachers, Parents etc. teach children the importance of making emergency calls and or pulling fire alarms. I put the fear of God in my students about both-there are serious penalties to be paid if one is caught "playing around"

[wrigley]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I agree with you. Fine pranksters...I mean really its not like they don't have their name and address of where they can send the bill, especially given the options...

1. Send EMS to a call: it's a prank and someone else (who needed the service) dies.

2. Do not send EMA to a call: it wasn't a prank and someone dies.

They should send EMS and if it's a prank, fine them the $200 (on average) it would have cost to ride in it from the house to the hospital. Ok, maybe $100...but I would fine them.

In my city, you are only allowed one "grace" false burglar alarm....after that, its about $75 a pop. It doesn't matter if it was caused by Fluffy the family cat or something else.

Chicago allows for only one false alarm call. After that the first offense is $500. Each repeat call is $1000. Each false alarm costs the city on the average $4000.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by wrigley
Chicago allows for only one false alarm call. After that the first offense is $500. Each repeat call is $1000. Each false alarm costs the city on the average $4000.

$500 !

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
Do you live in Aurora, DA?

The one in Colorado.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I agree with you. Fine pranksters...I mean really its not like they don't have their name and address of where they can send the bill, especially given the options...

1. Send EMS to a call: it's a prank and someone else (who needed the service) dies.

2. Do not send EMA to a call: it wasn't a prank and someone dies.

They should send EMS and if it's a prank, fine them the $200 (on average) it would have cost to ride in it from the house to the hospital. Ok, maybe $100...but I would fine them.

In my city, you are only allowed one "grace" false burglar alarm....after that, its about $75 a pop. It doesn't matter if it was caused by Fluffy the family cat or something else.

Both my mother's house and my house have security systems - mine is a little more "touchy". If the alarm goes off, and no one responds to the service, the police are sent out and it costs my mother $100 per call, while I pay $150 per call. We get one grace call per month.

On the other hand, the houses where I live have an automatic light switch that causes your carriage/porch lights to blink, so the ambulance doesn't lose time searching for an address. That's just built into all of the houses - and wonderful! I wish my mother had that, but then again, my daddy had been on boro council for years, so they all know exactly where we are/she is.

With regular home owners paying that much, I think that prank callers should realize that 1) there is no such thing as a private call to an emergency service from any phone, and 2) I think the punishment should be Community Service, plus a fine. If they even had to ride in an ambulance one night while someone's life is in danger, I have to believe that only the sickest puppies would not see the errors of their ways.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by Rudey
What happens if the 911 dispatcher sent out a police car to what turned out to be a prank and someone else who needed the help couldn't get it because the cops took to long to arrive?

Unfortunately, that's not at all uncommon -- at least it's not uncommon for a response to take a lot longer.

[AGDee]

From www.clickondetroit.com today:

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- A Detroit woman whose 911 call was revealed during a news conference for another 911 caller, who also did not receive a response from authorities, spoke about her experience at a news conference announcing a $25 million lawsuit Tuesday.

"I just put it in God's hands," said Lorraine Hayes (pictured), who was left paralyzed following a shooting on Jan. 12, 2005.

Her attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the woman repeatedly called 911 to report that she was shot in her head and back by her boyfriend, and the operator refused to send help

[honeychile]

Note to self: Don't move to the City of Detroit!

[PiKA2001]

Originally posted by honeychile
Note to self: Don't move to the City of Detroit!

Yeah, no kidding. I've only had to call 911 once in Detroit and I couldn't even get through. After I had tried for about three minutes I just quit trying to call.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I wonder if it was the same operator who answered the little boy's call.

[PiKA2001]

Originally posted by Peaches-n-Cream
I wonder if it was the same operator who answered the little boy's call.

Naw, a lot of times you call 911 you just get a busy signal.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
The one in Colorado.

I PMed you.

[AGDee]

Originally posted by Peaches-n-Cream
I wonder if it was the same operator who answered the little boy's call.

The attorney for both "victims" said the voices sound similar, although the second lady talked to more than one operator.

And yeah, they have cut fire and police services in the City of Detroit due to financial problems. All the auto company layoffs aren't going to help the financial problems any either. I'm glad I don't live in the city proper and I work for a health care system, so if something happened while I was at work, there wouldn't be a need for 911...