911 Is (not) a Joke
April 26, 2010 5:12 AM Subscribe
How many times have you called 911 (or your country's equivalent) for an emergency?
The post on Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax's stabbing made me think about the number of times I've actually called 911 in an emergency.
I've lived in and around NYC for most of my life and I'm in my early 30's. During that time I've intentionally called 911 either 3 or 4 times (during the fourth incident there were two of us on site making calls and I don't remember if I called 911 or the landlord). I also called 311 once when I should have called 911 and was transferred over to the police immediately.
I once mentioned to a friend (also a local) that I had called 911 about 5 times. He seemed to think that was quite a lot. However, if I called in every passed-out person I saw on the sidewalk (like some people suggest), I'd be calling 911 several times a week.
I'm really not sure what would be considered normal.
The post on Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax's stabbing made me think about the number of times I've actually called 911 in an emergency.
I've lived in and around NYC for most of my life and I'm in my early 30's. During that time I've intentionally called 911 either 3 or 4 times (during the fourth incident there were two of us on site making calls and I don't remember if I called 911 or the landlord). I also called 311 once when I should have called 911 and was transferred over to the police immediately.
I once mentioned to a friend (also a local) that I had called 911 about 5 times. He seemed to think that was quite a lot. However, if I called in every passed-out person I saw on the sidewalk (like some people suggest), I'd be calling 911 several times a week.
I'm really not sure what would be considered normal.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Yeah, this is kind of chatfilter/pollfilter stuff. -- cortex
I have called four times (I am 27.)
1) Four guys jumped out of a van and started beating a lone man with baseball bats.
2) My neighbors next door at the time were fighting in the house and I thought they were going to throw themselves through the walls.
3) My grandmother had taken a fall and was paralyzed from the neck down.
4) I was walking behind a school when I saw an obviously drunk, obviously angry man thinking about driving his truck into the school. It turns out, he was a disgruntled former employee and had the intention of burn down the elementary school.
posted by Hiker at 5:16 AM on April 26, 2010
1) Four guys jumped out of a van and started beating a lone man with baseball bats.
2) My neighbors next door at the time were fighting in the house and I thought they were going to throw themselves through the walls.
3) My grandmother had taken a fall and was paralyzed from the neck down.
4) I was walking behind a school when I saw an obviously drunk, obviously angry man thinking about driving his truck into the school. It turns out, he was a disgruntled former employee and had the intention of burn down the elementary school.
posted by Hiker at 5:16 AM on April 26, 2010
None yet, and I'm 26.
posted by cozenedindigo at 5:21 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by cozenedindigo at 5:21 AM on April 26, 2010
Ambulance twice. Both for overdoses. Jesus, that's a scene I'd definitely recommend against being in.
I'm not sure what the story is in the US, exactly, but here in Australia NEVER hesitate to call 000 (the Australian equivalent of 911) in such a situation because you're worried about the illegality involved- the ambulance guys aren't going to want to get anyone in trouble over it, and they NEED to know what it is they're dealing with.
Police once. To report being harassed and threatened.. by cops, would you believe. I would believe it.
posted by Philby at 5:23 AM on April 26, 2010
I'm not sure what the story is in the US, exactly, but here in Australia NEVER hesitate to call 000 (the Australian equivalent of 911) in such a situation because you're worried about the illegality involved- the ambulance guys aren't going to want to get anyone in trouble over it, and they NEED to know what it is they're dealing with.
Police once. To report being harassed and threatened.. by cops, would you believe. I would believe it.
posted by Philby at 5:23 AM on April 26, 2010
Working for an third-party medical alert device (think "I've fallen and I can't get up!"), I've called hundreds of 911 numbers across the country and spoken with as many dispatchers... but I've only had to call 911 myself once: Two men ran into restaurant hall I was in, one chasing the other and shouting "Call the police, that man just robbed me!" Unfortunately, 911 dispatchers REALLY do not know where you are when you're calling from your cell phone, and me not knowing the address or the proper name for the cafeteria didn't help them much.
posted by lizzicide at 5:23 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by lizzicide at 5:23 AM on April 26, 2010
I'm 26 and I've called 999 three times in the UK.
1: man got hit by car
2: woman having seizure on the pavement
3: unconscious man on pavement (not the first person to walk past him, no-one else bothered to call an ambulance, presumably as he looked like a drunk, DESPITE the fact that he had a visible hospital bracelet on.
posted by greenish at 5:26 AM on April 26, 2010
1: man got hit by car
2: woman having seizure on the pavement
3: unconscious man on pavement (not the first person to walk past him, no-one else bothered to call an ambulance, presumably as he looked like a drunk, DESPITE the fact that he had a visible hospital bracelet on.
posted by greenish at 5:26 AM on April 26, 2010
Dozens, most of the time after witnessing a traffic accident and either stopping to help or being unable to stop for help but reporting it. A couple times to report a drunk driver. A couple of times to report a house fire. Once to stop a friend from committing suicide. (Police got there before me, she was institutionalized, and credits me with saving her life and reconnecting her with her parents.) Once to report vandalism.
This is probably more than normal, but I live in a college town where all of the above are frighteningly commonplace. I also have some community emergency response training through the EMS and police side; first responder and first aid as well as PD/FD training in recognizing emergent emergencies.
posted by SpecialK at 5:27 AM on April 26, 2010
This is probably more than normal, but I live in a college town where all of the above are frighteningly commonplace. I also have some community emergency response training through the EMS and police side; first responder and first aid as well as PD/FD training in recognizing emergent emergencies.
posted by SpecialK at 5:27 AM on April 26, 2010
Twice. Drunk driver and domestic violence in a neighboring apartment.
posted by ellenaim at 5:35 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by ellenaim at 5:35 AM on April 26, 2010
Assuming that St. Clair County, IL is an average sort of place, "normal" would be 178,325 calls in a year from a population of 260,919. (St.Clair County included the "mean center of population" of the United States back in 1970, but its 911 stats just happened to show up high on Google.) So this means "normal" is .68 calls per year per person, including children, inmates and nursing home patients. So something like one call per adult per year is probably about standard. That said, there might be a fairly skewed distribution with some people calling monthly, for various reasons, and many people never calling at all.
posted by beagle at 5:35 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by beagle at 5:35 AM on April 26, 2010
4 or 5 I think. Once for the police when some kids were throwing stones at cyclists (well, actually more like rocks).
The others were all when I'd found someone in distress (or unconscious) in the street. I find it really hard to believe that some other people might just walk by.
posted by handee at 5:37 AM on April 26, 2010
The others were all when I'd found someone in distress (or unconscious) in the street. I find it really hard to believe that some other people might just walk by.
posted by handee at 5:37 AM on April 26, 2010
I must live an uneventful life. I've never had occasion to call 911. My mother did once, when I was a kid, to report the garage was on fire. Then she went back into the garage and drove the car out.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:39 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:39 AM on April 26, 2010
Twice for the fire brigade, once for the police (I thought a girl was in danger from a gang of boys, but it turned out they were just kids fooling around).
now calling 911 moderator service about chatfilter
posted by idiomatika at 5:39 AM on April 26, 2010
now calling 911 moderator service about chatfilter
posted by idiomatika at 5:39 AM on April 26, 2010
Maybe about a dozen? Mostly reporting car accidents, but one call was to report a fire, another was for an ambulance. I'm 32, and these would have happened in Boston or Los Angeles.
posted by katemcd at 5:41 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by katemcd at 5:41 AM on April 26, 2010
My parents taught me so well that 911 is for emergencies only that in my first house on my own, as stray bullets were whizzing into the house while the next door was being shot up during the Oakland crack wars, that I crawled along the floor to find a phone book to look up the non-emergency number for the OPD.
My cell phone seems for have called 911 a number of times, though.
posted by Etaoin Shrdlu at 5:41 AM on April 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
My cell phone seems for have called 911 a number of times, though.
posted by Etaoin Shrdlu at 5:41 AM on April 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
Three times, for me. Once for a hit-and-run that happened outside, once for a fight in the next apartment where we heard someone shout that he had a gun, and once when we walked in on our house being burglarized.
posted by cabingirl at 5:43 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by cabingirl at 5:43 AM on April 26, 2010
In the 18 years I lived in a town with a population of 50,000, I called 911 zero times.
In the 6 years I've lived in a moderate size city, 3 times.
posted by nikkorizz at 5:45 AM on April 26, 2010
In the 6 years I've lived in a moderate size city, 3 times.
posted by nikkorizz at 5:45 AM on April 26, 2010
I think you have to be careful reading answers to this thread because the people who *have* called 911 are the ones with something to write.
posted by devnull at 5:47 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by devnull at 5:47 AM on April 26, 2010
I don't know how many times I've called, but it's been a lot. I've called for gunshots in the neighborhood, what sounded like a domestic assault, kids throwing rocks onto the highway from an overpass, reporting accidents on the highway, reporting an apparently drunk driver with no brake lights on the highway, reported several fires, several break ins, called for ambulances for family members, twice to report people missing... those are the calls I remember off the top of my head.
posted by headspace at 5:47 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by headspace at 5:47 AM on April 26, 2010
Once... when we lived next door to a house occupied by college students. One morning around 6:00 a.m., we saw one of the male residents dragging a girl out of the house. She was crying and kicking and screaming. He threw her down the stairs and started beating her. We called 911 to intervene. (but we also went outside and managed to get the boy back inside and the girl away)
When police arrived, they took both kids into custody.
posted by MorningPerson at 5:47 AM on April 26, 2010
When police arrived, they took both kids into custody.
posted by MorningPerson at 5:47 AM on April 26, 2010
Off the top of my head I've dialled 999 in the UK for:
Man (obviously) overdosed on the street.
Having come home to find I'd been burgled.
A drunk trying to kick my front door in.
Ex-boss who hadn't told anyone he was epileptic keeling over into a full blown grand mal seizure.
Seeing "smoke" drifting over the roof of York Minster. Called fire brigade, 6 engines including turntable ladder arrive. Then realise it was fog blowing over the spot lights. Deeply embarrased but the fire crew thanked me as they'd rather get that kind of call than have to attend something like this again.
posted by hardcode at 5:49 AM on April 26, 2010
Man (obviously) overdosed on the street.
Having come home to find I'd been burgled.
A drunk trying to kick my front door in.
Ex-boss who hadn't told anyone he was epileptic keeling over into a full blown grand mal seizure.
Seeing "smoke" drifting over the roof of York Minster. Called fire brigade, 6 engines including turntable ladder arrive. Then realise it was fog blowing over the spot lights. Deeply embarrased but the fire crew thanked me as they'd rather get that kind of call than have to attend something like this again.
posted by hardcode at 5:49 AM on April 26, 2010
Response by poster: Along the lines beagle's answer, does anyone know of any formal studies that address this kind of question?
posted by NormieP at 5:51 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by NormieP at 5:51 AM on April 26, 2010
26 years old, lived in suburbs of Large Cities all my life in the US - never called 911.
posted by citywolf at 5:51 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by citywolf at 5:51 AM on April 26, 2010
None. Though I have shouted "CALL 911!" at my husband while I was (ridiculously) attempting to chase (on foot...no shoes on) thieves who just ransacked our garage as they were speeding off in a truck at midnight. I'm in my early 40's, live in the city.
posted by jeanmari at 5:52 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by jeanmari at 5:52 AM on April 26, 2010
Response by poster: I think you have to be careful reading answers to this thread because the people who *have* called 911 are the ones with something to write.
Very good point, though we have had a few zeros.
posted by NormieP at 5:54 AM on April 26, 2010
Very good point, though we have had a few zeros.
posted by NormieP at 5:54 AM on April 26, 2010
Only four times here. Twice for the crazy asshole I dated when I was young and stupid who tried to (almost successfully) commit suicide when I tried to break up with him. Then again a few months later when he beat me up (don't worry, I have never made those stupid mistakes twice). Once to report a drunk driver. And then another time when I could hear the people in the apartment next to me fighting and the guy beating up the girl.
no-one else bothered to call an ambulance, presumably as he looked like a drunk, DESPITE the fact that he had a visible hospital bracelet on.
Not saying what you did is wrong, but most people don't blink an eye at hospital bracelets because the homeless will acquire them and never take them off to get sympathy handouts. There's a guy who's had the same hospital bracelet on for a few years now that pan handles on a corner near where I live. He makes a point to make sure you see the bracelet too.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:04 AM on April 26, 2010
no-one else bothered to call an ambulance, presumably as he looked like a drunk, DESPITE the fact that he had a visible hospital bracelet on.
Not saying what you did is wrong, but most people don't blink an eye at hospital bracelets because the homeless will acquire them and never take them off to get sympathy handouts. There's a guy who's had the same hospital bracelet on for a few years now that pan handles on a corner near where I live. He makes a point to make sure you see the bracelet too.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:04 AM on April 26, 2010
Once in 30 years, to report something on fire, where it wasn't clear if it was on fire on purpose or not.
Also a couple of times having called the non-emergency number to report, like, theft of wallet type things, and the non-emergency number person tells you to call 911 to file a police report, which drives me crazy and I think is incredibly stupid. (Which may also confuse statistics, since some places make you call 911 for EVERYTHING and other places actually use their non-emergency numbers or have a 311 or whatever.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 6:05 AM on April 26, 2010
Also a couple of times having called the non-emergency number to report, like, theft of wallet type things, and the non-emergency number person tells you to call 911 to file a police report, which drives me crazy and I think is incredibly stupid. (Which may also confuse statistics, since some places make you call 911 for EVERYTHING and other places actually use their non-emergency numbers or have a 311 or whatever.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 6:05 AM on April 26, 2010
I've called 911 3 or 4 times that I can remember. Once for a car fire (at a gas station, no less), the others for gunshots in the neighborhood. At least I thought they were gunshots.
posted by wxguychris at 6:06 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by wxguychris at 6:06 AM on April 26, 2010
I've called once, when I saw a nasty-looking fight break out. By the time I finished explaining where I was and what was happening, though, the people involved had run in three different directions. Nothing came of it.
posted by danb at 6:06 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by danb at 6:06 AM on April 26, 2010
United States - Arizona: We have a police "non-emergency" line as well. In my experience 911/emergency is for whenever you observe someone in immediate danger (or the potential for danger to others). However, I wouldn't hesitate to call 911 and let them decide. In the last five years, I've called 911 twice.
Wondering if your responses here might be skewed because AskMeFi folks might tend to have certain personality traits (whatever makes us want to reach out and collaborate with others, might make us more likely to contact the police when we observe danger?).
Still think the 1 emergency call per adult every one or two years is close. Maybe people do call more often than I thought - I know as a kid it was emphasized that you only call 911 if there is a real emergency, but now as an adult I know that part of those instructions functioned to keep kids from making accidental calls. You also hear of people calling 911 for absurd reasons (like a woman calling 911 to say burger king wouldn't make her what she wanted). Hopefully those calls are more rare, and people who call generally have good judgment or at least some common sense.
posted by belau at 6:07 AM on April 26, 2010
Wondering if your responses here might be skewed because AskMeFi folks might tend to have certain personality traits (whatever makes us want to reach out and collaborate with others, might make us more likely to contact the police when we observe danger?).
Still think the 1 emergency call per adult every one or two years is close. Maybe people do call more often than I thought - I know as a kid it was emphasized that you only call 911 if there is a real emergency, but now as an adult I know that part of those instructions functioned to keep kids from making accidental calls. You also hear of people calling 911 for absurd reasons (like a woman calling 911 to say burger king wouldn't make her what she wanted). Hopefully those calls are more rare, and people who call generally have good judgment or at least some common sense.
posted by belau at 6:07 AM on April 26, 2010
3-4 times for noise complaints (I have a VERY sensitive sleep schedule, people!)
Once when a shady dude came to my NYC apartment door claiming to be from Con Edison and asking to check my bills. Asked for his ID, he got weird and left. Long gone before the cops showed up.
posted by amicamentis at 6:09 AM on April 26, 2010
Once when a shady dude came to my NYC apartment door claiming to be from Con Edison and asking to check my bills. Asked for his ID, he got weird and left. Long gone before the cops showed up.
posted by amicamentis at 6:09 AM on April 26, 2010
I'm 28. I have called a few times. Situations have included: a drunk driver on the highway, four dudes shoving and yelling at one girl in our parking lot, and a coworker falling out due to her poorly-controllled blood pressure fluctuations and plummeting blood sugar.
There is no correspondence between the size of the town/city I lived in, and the number of times I did or should have called 911.
posted by Coatlicue at 6:11 AM on April 26, 2010
There is no correspondence between the size of the town/city I lived in, and the number of times I did or should have called 911.
posted by Coatlicue at 6:11 AM on April 26, 2010
Three times over 10 years - once when my soon-to-be-ex-husband was threatening to kill himself, once when a homeless-looking guy was getting the crap beat out of him, and once when we were driving down the highway and saw a truck on fire across the median.
posted by shiny blue object at 6:14 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by shiny blue object at 6:14 AM on April 26, 2010
I've called once. I was staying over at a friend's place, and we'd just returned home in the wee hours of the morning after a night of general merriment. We were consequently quite merry. We were getting ready for bed, and then we heard noises in the house. My friend freaked out (since all her housemates were away and we should have been alone) and we promptly called 911. Next thing we know there's about 40 cops piling through the house (it often gets boring in Toronto for a cop I suppose) as we belatedly realize our sleeping attire is somewhat scanty and stand around trying to pull various articles of clothing to a larger size. We trace the source of the noises to a closed bedroom. The cops hammer on the door and demand that whoever's in there come out. After a few moments, my friend's bleary eyed and terrified housemate stumbles out begging for mercy. Turns out he got home early. Much hilarity (on our part), relatively good natured tolerance and warnings to be sure of our story next time (from the cops). We return to bed and loudly discuss which cop had been "hottest", realizing after about 20 minutes that the phone is still off the hook and the 911 dispatcher has been on the other end the whole time (did you know they can't hang up on you?).
My aforementioned friend has called quite a few times (as you can tell from the above anecdote, she's a little prone to panic). Most people I know have called once or twice or never.
posted by Go Banana at 6:21 AM on April 26, 2010
My aforementioned friend has called quite a few times (as you can tell from the above anecdote, she's a little prone to panic). Most people I know have called once or twice or never.
posted by Go Banana at 6:21 AM on April 26, 2010
Five or six times, plus a bunch more calls to the non-emergency number. I use the emergency number for things that feel more critical to me -- when guns are involved, or violence, or something is on fire.
posted by Forktine at 6:22 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by Forktine at 6:22 AM on April 26, 2010
I have called 999 once in my 25 years, for an old housemate who was very ill at home. I've called the NHS direct number (kind of like a non-emergency line for medical questions) around 6 times to ask whether my or someone else's illness was serious enough to go to the hospital/call an ambulance.
posted by ellieBOA at 6:24 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by ellieBOA at 6:24 AM on April 26, 2010
Twice. Once to help a shopkeeper who'd caught a thief and the second time because I found some herbert had run off with something from my front garden.
I've also picked a homeless guy off the floor who I found walking through a town center one night. And got his poo on my hands.
And stopped a fight by drunkenly walking into the middle of it as I was trying to work out what was going on.
I'm pretty sure I've also done my fair share of cowardly walking away from various stuff too.
posted by MuffinMan at 6:24 AM on April 26, 2010
I've also picked a homeless guy off the floor who I found walking through a town center one night. And got his poo on my hands.
And stopped a fight by drunkenly walking into the middle of it as I was trying to work out what was going on.
I'm pretty sure I've also done my fair share of cowardly walking away from various stuff too.
posted by MuffinMan at 6:24 AM on April 26, 2010
Masshole here, small, quiet town. I've called once because I heard glass break and was afraid it was a break-in (it was a bottle in the street -- thanks for tossing that out, speeders!), and once when my brother-in-law fainted in my kitchen from dehydration.
I also call every time there's an earthquake because it always sounds like a bomb. I can't help it.
posted by theredpen at 6:25 AM on April 26, 2010
I also call every time there's an earthquake because it always sounds like a bomb. I can't help it.
posted by theredpen at 6:25 AM on April 26, 2010
Several times.
Three for car accidents (two in which I was involved, one which I witnessed).
Twice for fire -- once shooting out of a manhole across the street, once when a car burst into flames outside our apartment building.
Once when a very drunk neighbor was trying to knock down our door thinking it was his. We didn't know he was a neighbor though, we thought he was a bum (he had a hoodie pulled over his head and when we asked who he was he kept saying "nobody. nobody's out here!").
I have also had 911 called FOR me twice -- once for fainting in the subway and once when our car was burgled in a hotel parking lot.
I really feel for Hugo Alfred Tale-Yax and his family. It's a horrible, horrible situation. But there's no way New York responsive services could handle the workload if everyone called in every passed-out person on the street, or every neighbor having a screaming match. It's a sad state of affairs.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 6:28 AM on April 26, 2010
Three for car accidents (two in which I was involved, one which I witnessed).
Twice for fire -- once shooting out of a manhole across the street, once when a car burst into flames outside our apartment building.
Once when a very drunk neighbor was trying to knock down our door thinking it was his. We didn't know he was a neighbor though, we thought he was a bum (he had a hoodie pulled over his head and when we asked who he was he kept saying "nobody. nobody's out here!").
I have also had 911 called FOR me twice -- once for fainting in the subway and once when our car was burgled in a hotel parking lot.
I really feel for Hugo Alfred Tale-Yax and his family. It's a horrible, horrible situation. But there's no way New York responsive services could handle the workload if everyone called in every passed-out person on the street, or every neighbor having a screaming match. It's a sad state of affairs.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 6:28 AM on April 26, 2010
Oh yeah, and one time, before cell phones (JESUS I'm old), there was a major beat-down happening between two guys who'd stopped in traffic in Cambridge, and when one of them got out a 2x4 and the other guys pants somehow fell off but he was too busy trying to save himself to care, I drove around the corner and found a house. A little old lady actually let me into her house to use her phone (I told her to never do that again) and introduced me to her little old dog named John F. Kennedy Jr. and offered me tea.
posted by theredpen at 6:28 AM on April 26, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by theredpen at 6:28 AM on April 26, 2010 [3 favorites]
I'm 30, and I have called twice. Once in downtown Toronto, when I saw a stocky young guy repeatedly kicking a very skinny older punk guy several times in the head as his girlfriend cheered him on, and once after seeing a car on fire in an empty parking lot near a military base.
posted by molecicco at 6:34 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by molecicco at 6:34 AM on April 26, 2010
Twice (I'm grad-school-aged). Once when I was in an accident in the HOV lane of an LA freeway, and once when I was a toddler -- I remember my mother telling me to call and say "I'm [name] and I live at [address] and my mom is very sick, can you send me an ambulance please?" -- no one ever told me what was actually wrong, though I suspect it was a heart attack.
posted by dorque at 6:35 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by dorque at 6:35 AM on April 26, 2010
Four times.
Once I noticed a flickering light in a house I was walking by. Upon closer inspection the house was on fire. The house was being renovated and the fire department got there in time to keep the damage limited.
Once when a guy forced another guy off the road with his car and then tried to kill him with a baseball bat. I got to learn about the joys of being a witness in a case for years after that.
Once when a sorority during pledge week screamed continuously for more than three hours. I am not exaggerating.
Once when woman A was screaming about her roommate, woman B, sleeping with woman A's boyfriend and I started to hear crashing noises.
I've had 911 called on me (and my friends) once while in college for a noise complaint, once for being involved in a large water fight, and once for having something smelly in lab that scared someone in the building.
posted by sciencegeek at 6:37 AM on April 26, 2010
Once I noticed a flickering light in a house I was walking by. Upon closer inspection the house was on fire. The house was being renovated and the fire department got there in time to keep the damage limited.
Once when a guy forced another guy off the road with his car and then tried to kill him with a baseball bat. I got to learn about the joys of being a witness in a case for years after that.
Once when a sorority during pledge week screamed continuously for more than three hours. I am not exaggerating.
Once when woman A was screaming about her roommate, woman B, sleeping with woman A's boyfriend and I started to hear crashing noises.
I've had 911 called on me (and my friends) once while in college for a noise complaint, once for being involved in a large water fight, and once for having something smelly in lab that scared someone in the building.
posted by sciencegeek at 6:37 AM on April 26, 2010
My cell phone dialed once...
I've called about half a dozen times in various towns... once for gunfire next door. Once because a drunk man was wandering around the neighborhood with a gun - I don't think he realized he had it on him because he wandered in the store I worked at and bought cigarettes from me, gun in hand. Once on some crazy ass speedster who was driving so recklessly on a crowded highway I knew he'd cause and accident (normally I don't care about speeders, but he was just being stupid) and twice (different houses, different states) when I came home and it appeared someone had been in my house - light's were on/off and door was open. Oh, and once because some lady came screaming out of her house that her boyfriend was trying to kill her and insisted that *I* go in there and rescue her... um, no thanks, that's what the police are for. I'm 43 for the record.
posted by patheral at 6:38 AM on April 26, 2010
I've called about half a dozen times in various towns... once for gunfire next door. Once because a drunk man was wandering around the neighborhood with a gun - I don't think he realized he had it on him because he wandered in the store I worked at and bought cigarettes from me, gun in hand. Once on some crazy ass speedster who was driving so recklessly on a crowded highway I knew he'd cause and accident (normally I don't care about speeders, but he was just being stupid) and twice (different houses, different states) when I came home and it appeared someone had been in my house - light's were on/off and door was open. Oh, and once because some lady came screaming out of her house that her boyfriend was trying to kill her and insisted that *I* go in there and rescue her... um, no thanks, that's what the police are for. I'm 43 for the record.
posted by patheral at 6:38 AM on April 26, 2010
Three that I remember, but there may be one more I'm forgetting.
1. There was some crazy screaming coming from an apartment complex a block over. I couldn't tell if it was fun or badness, but I decided to call on the off chance it was badness. The dispatcher said they had already received calls and police were on their way, so I wasn't the only one.
2. A woman on the train collapsed in front of me and the other passengers. I was the one yelling to at the top of my lungs there was a medical emergency. Another passenger got the ill one off the train -- she had regained consciousness -- and my husband and I got off with her. I called 911 from outside the train as the train started to pull out (after the conductor came back and asked if we thought we'd be okay). You'd think it only take four times or so for over 100 people on a train to understand, "THERE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY! THERE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY!" But, no. It took about ten times for it to get passed up the line to the conductor.
3. There was drunk driver in front of us on July fourth. The driver was weaving really dangerous in and out of lanes on a mostly empty highway, and when he (or she) went from the right side of the middle lane to the left side of the left lane at an almost straight diagonal, he (or she) seemed to realize it and pulled off the road to, hopefully, sleep it off. We were in the middle of putting our call in. I forget if that may have been 911. It may have been the state police non-emergency line or maybe 911 transferred us directly to that. I forget, but close enough.
posted by zizzle at 6:41 AM on April 26, 2010
1. There was some crazy screaming coming from an apartment complex a block over. I couldn't tell if it was fun or badness, but I decided to call on the off chance it was badness. The dispatcher said they had already received calls and police were on their way, so I wasn't the only one.
2. A woman on the train collapsed in front of me and the other passengers. I was the one yelling to at the top of my lungs there was a medical emergency. Another passenger got the ill one off the train -- she had regained consciousness -- and my husband and I got off with her. I called 911 from outside the train as the train started to pull out (after the conductor came back and asked if we thought we'd be okay). You'd think it only take four times or so for over 100 people on a train to understand, "THERE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY! THERE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY!" But, no. It took about ten times for it to get passed up the line to the conductor.
3. There was drunk driver in front of us on July fourth. The driver was weaving really dangerous in and out of lanes on a mostly empty highway, and when he (or she) went from the right side of the middle lane to the left side of the left lane at an almost straight diagonal, he (or she) seemed to realize it and pulled off the road to, hopefully, sleep it off. We were in the middle of putting our call in. I forget if that may have been 911. It may have been the state police non-emergency line or maybe 911 transferred us directly to that. I forget, but close enough.
posted by zizzle at 6:41 AM on April 26, 2010
Thankfully, I've never needed to call 000 [the equivalent of 911],
but I have needed to call 13 1444 [Police assistance, non-emergency] on several occasions, including being locked inside a malfunctioning automatic public toilet (Friday afternoon, the electronic lock wouldn't unlock/solid metal door wouldn't open, was working part time at the time, so I wouldn't have been missed at work until Wednesday morning...)
They were very blase about it, considering that my mobile battery was making beeping sounds to indicate that I only had 2-3 minutes of power left, and they put me on hold for a long time between me explaining the situation and them taking down the address, which made me vow that if I ever found myself in that situation again, I would call 000.
posted by Oceanesque at 6:43 AM on April 26, 2010
but I have needed to call 13 1444 [Police assistance, non-emergency] on several occasions, including being locked inside a malfunctioning automatic public toilet (Friday afternoon, the electronic lock wouldn't unlock/solid metal door wouldn't open, was working part time at the time, so I wouldn't have been missed at work until Wednesday morning...)
They were very blase about it, considering that my mobile battery was making beeping sounds to indicate that I only had 2-3 minutes of power left, and they put me on hold for a long time between me explaining the situation and them taking down the address, which made me vow that if I ever found myself in that situation again, I would call 000.
posted by Oceanesque at 6:43 AM on April 26, 2010
Several times to report traffic accidents.
One time I recall for sure: a guy ahead of us on the road pulled over immediately, yanked an elderly woman out of the back of his car, laid her down on the shoulder, and started CPR on her. We pulled off the road just ahead - I called 911 and another motorist stopped to assist. I remember it very clearly because we had just followed them out of a restaurant parking lot where we'd stopped for Mother's Day brunch. Every time I pass that spot on the road, I remember it.
posted by jquinby at 6:43 AM on April 26, 2010
One time I recall for sure: a guy ahead of us on the road pulled over immediately, yanked an elderly woman out of the back of his car, laid her down on the shoulder, and started CPR on her. We pulled off the road just ahead - I called 911 and another motorist stopped to assist. I remember it very clearly because we had just followed them out of a restaurant parking lot where we'd stopped for Mother's Day brunch. Every time I pass that spot on the road, I remember it.
posted by jquinby at 6:43 AM on April 26, 2010
I've called quite a few times from Tulsa, Oklahoma (I'm 38). Once for an unconscious man on a sidewalk (not so common in Tulsa). Once for a guy having a seizure in a bar. Twice for neighbors fighting across the street (don't miss those neighbors a bit), Once when my neighbors and I realized that the growing smell in our building was another neighbor who had died. Still have nightmares about that one. A couple of times for car accidents. And a couple of times for downed power lines. That happens a lot in Oklahoma.
My daughter also called accidentally when she was playing with the phone as a baby. And my two-year-old called on Saturday by pushing the shiny red button that was right at his eye-level at the train station.
According to this page, there are 240 million calls per year in the U.S. This page has some additional numbers - 43 million annual emergency calls in Britain, 5 million in Los Angeles, 1.8 million in D.C.. One thing to keep in mind with the statistics is that, along with abusers, there are some significant groups of people who have to call fairly frequently. People on life support have to call every time the power goes out. In areas where severe storms are frequent (Oklahoma is certainly one) that may be several times per year. Facilities such as nursing homes where medical emergencies happen frequently would also account for a large number of calls.
posted by Dojie at 6:46 AM on April 26, 2010
My daughter also called accidentally when she was playing with the phone as a baby. And my two-year-old called on Saturday by pushing the shiny red button that was right at his eye-level at the train station.
According to this page, there are 240 million calls per year in the U.S. This page has some additional numbers - 43 million annual emergency calls in Britain, 5 million in Los Angeles, 1.8 million in D.C.. One thing to keep in mind with the statistics is that, along with abusers, there are some significant groups of people who have to call fairly frequently. People on life support have to call every time the power goes out. In areas where severe storms are frequent (Oklahoma is certainly one) that may be several times per year. Facilities such as nursing homes where medical emergencies happen frequently would also account for a large number of calls.
posted by Dojie at 6:46 AM on April 26, 2010
I've called twice.
Once was when our car, along with several others, got keyed in our apartment parking lot. I called the non-emergency number first, but they told me to call 911.
The second was when the CO detectors in our house started going off.
When my son was a toddler and my mom was watching him, he hit the 911 speed dial button. The officer who came by was very understanding.
I've had 911 called on me once.
posted by Lucinda at 6:50 AM on April 26, 2010
Once was when our car, along with several others, got keyed in our apartment parking lot. I called the non-emergency number first, but they told me to call 911.
The second was when the CO detectors in our house started going off.
When my son was a toddler and my mom was watching him, he hit the 911 speed dial button. The officer who came by was very understanding.
I've had 911 called on me once.
posted by Lucinda at 6:50 AM on April 26, 2010
Only once, and not really for an emergency, but for the potential hazard of a large dog trapped on a highway.
posted by HFSH at 6:51 AM on April 26, 2010
posted by HFSH at 6:51 AM on April 26, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 5:14 AM on April 26, 2010