Calling 911...have you ever done it?

We are all very aware that OP was quoting a song.... But, we are just pointing out, song quoting or not, that it is an ignorant line to quote or share on such a topic.... why quote something like that? Would you feel the same if your family member died because people thought 911 was a joke and making prank calls, thus having emergency persons responding to pranks??.... It's happened, and it's wrong! THAT is what we are referring to.

I never said 911 was a joke. I just said that I prank called it many times.

Ma'am, I wasn't referring to your post. I was referring to the one who posted that "9-1-1 is a joke"

But you said.. oh forget it :flowerforyou:

LOL, it's all gooooooood! I see what you mean though, I did mention prank calls, which is also what you mentioned, but I was just referring to people who think 911 is a joke (not saying that poster thinks that, referring to the song artist) are usually the ones calling and pranking or calling and screaming like wild animals cause they REALLY do need help. Anywho, this thread has taken a drastic turn away from the original topic. Let's all just but it behind us, gather around a fire, and make some s'mores!!
:drinker: :bigsmile:

I did not realize that the comment I was/am angry about was from a song.

It is disgusting that someone would write that, let alone sing about it to make money.

If you've never needed our services, than feel blessed. You don't truly understand what we do, until you do. I hope that anyone that has never needed our services continues to never need them.

Many a firefighter/ems personnel have been hurt or killed in the line of duty. We are not armed, we do not have a way to fight back, yet every day, we will risk our lives to save yours, or you loved ones.

Take a ride on an ambulance one night, or a firetruck. Hold the hand of someone that is trying to survive a horrid tragedy that happened, beit being shot/stabbed/beaten/stung by a bee/eaten the wrong food/had a car accident.... watch the men and women of red run into a house/building and try to save anyone that is in there, all while risking their own lives. See what we do, every day, then you'll understand why that statement made my blood boil.

the song was a social statement on the seemingly endless delay experienced in black neighborhoods when 911 was called for a legitimate reason. at least it had some thought behind it rather than a song promoting drug use or violence.
it was a musical protest.

*shrug*

My husband is a fire department paramedic at a violent inner city fire house.
There is no "delay".
There is a timer on the wall that is activated as soon as the run is dispatched.
Real, fake, prank, 2:00 pm, 2:00 am he goes and he goes fast.
If the joke is on anyone, it's him.

I could never handle the stress of your job. Thank u for doing it!

I have reoccurring theme in my dreams of calling 911 and getting put on hold.

You're getting put on hold due to the high volume of prank calls...:frown:

Ha! :drinker:

yes, ex boyfriend threatened to kill himself and i warned him and he wouldn't let up so I called.

I don't call 911, I get dispatched to the places where 911 is called about along with the FD and paramedics. Of course, I get there first because FD and medics like to "stage" because they are skeered of hoodlums in the area I patrol, but that's beside the point.

Just had to call yesterday! I was driving home around 5:30 pm (Sunday) going about 70 mph and I saw a truck parked on the center median on the other sie of the freeway. As I got closer I saw two men seemingly arguing on my side of the freeway. As I got closer the man jumped in front of oncoming traffic and we all had to slam on our breaks. I have NEVER had to stop so fast in my life. The row of cars swerved to the right trying to avoid him. As my row went to swerve into the other lane he jumped in front of us all again. It was terrifying.

After managing to get passed him I called 911 and was given to the CHP. I will say it all took a lot longer than I had expected when trying to get through.

I will say it all took a lot longer than I had expected when trying to get through.

You wouldn't believe the volume of dumb a**ed calls that go through while someone with a real emergency is trying to call. People call for ANYTHING making the jobs of the dispatchers, fire, police, and medics that much more difficult, but stupid people think it's funny. It's certainly NOT funny when you need our services and have to wait for it.

I have called 999 countless times. All legitimate. Mostly for minor things - only a few major - a junkie who chad cut her feet up really badly and a friend who had a stroke in my local pub.

that's a bit weird, never actually thought about it until this thread, but really surprised that i have never actually had to call 999,
obviously not adding very much to this thread but...

Yes, a guy in our old neighbourhood fell off a ladder, broke his leg...the bone was sticking out of his skin..pretty gross.

I have reoccurring theme in my dreams of calling 911 and getting put on hold.

You're getting put on hold due to the high volume of prank calls...:frown:

Ha! :drinker:

Prankster in my dreams messing up my emergency calls?? So not nice of them!

I'm curious though... to some of the people here who work, or have worked 911, what are some of the stupid calls you've gotten? That could probably be a whole new thread. lol

I'm curious though... to some of the people here who work, or have worked 911, what are some of the stupid calls you've gotten? That could probably be a whole new thread. lol

--About 3 months ago, I took a call from a woman who was very pissed off at her neighbors because they wouldn't control their mosquitos therefore the caller could not enjoy their backyard..... While I am taking this call, my co-worker is taking a call for an active domestic with weapons and injury.
--Then you have the people who call 911 because their 9 year old wont go to school.
--Then there are those who call 911 because there is a car on the side of the road with the hood up and someone standing beside the car and that looks "suspicious" to the caller...
--Then you have the calls where a man or woman just came home and has found their loved one dead on the floor.
--Or a parent driving down the road and has to pull over because their child is now having a seizure and they are freaking out.
--Or the patient who calls at 6pm on a Friday (after all doctors offices have closed) because of a tooth ache they have had for 4 days now and "can no longer stand the pain"
--Then there are the calls where the neighbors dog has attacked their child.
--The call of some partiers on a boat when 2 of them fall off the boat and are found about 12 hours later at the bottom of the lake.
--Or hearing a man get stabbed and listen to him struggle to breathe, then start gasping, you hear the sirens in the background, but its midnight so nobody can see the man laying in the field bleeding to death, then you hear him take his last breath, yet still hear the sirens/help so close yet they cant find him.
--Talking to your coworkers family member who just killed their spouse, then kills himself while on the phone with you.

All these calls are REAL. They have happened in MY dispatch center!

There are no routine calls, no "normal days at the office". We have to switch from comforting one caller who is starting at their dead loved one on the floor to having to talk the suicidal caller into putting the gun down. Then to a 4 year old playing on a old cell phone the parent gave them without taking the battery out so they call 911 over 45 times and you have to try to convince the child to take the phone to an adult and then explain to the parent that even disconnected cell phones still call 911.
It's not a joke. It's somebodies life, somebodies loved one. Some calls are total BS but some are life and death. We do a lot more than answer a phone line and tell the fire dept, police, and EMS where to go. What dispatchers do is VERY under appreciated and almost always overlooked. It's not a job you do to get attention, be named a hero, or be the shining star because there is very little recognition.
HUGE THANKS to all those who support what we do and appreciate the hardships we go through to assist in our fellow citizens safety.