Lives could be at risk! Red lights and sirens, opposing oncoming traffic, weaving here and there and we arrive to find...where did everyone go?
THE EMERGENCY
A cell phone caller has taken time out of their busy day to report a traffic accident at a busy intersection. Multiple vehicles involved, one person appears trapped. Sounds serious right? Do you think an accident that sounds that serious would be reported by only one person? If you have a cell phone from 2002 or later, and who doesn't, your phone transmits your approximate location to 911 operators when you call. This information is then relayed to rescuers in the form of a cell phone tower address, your distance from that tower, and a statistical probability of that location. For example, 123 Main street, 643 feet, 90%. So when for this call I noted the cell tower was no where near where the accident was, I asked the communications center to call the phone back and get more details since we had arrived at the intersection and there is not only no accident, but no vehicles stopped or even off the roadway. The operator comes back and reports that the caller is no longer in the area and saw the accident from a block away, wasn't sure what had happened but wanted to call.
THE ACTION
Nothing we can do here but laugh. All these resourced mobilized, all these lives risked because someone thinks they might have seen something a block away and didn't even stop to see if there was trouble. It would be funny if it only happened occasionally.
THE EMERGENCY
A cell phone caller has taken time out of their busy day to report a traffic accident at a busy intersection. Multiple vehicles involved, one person appears trapped. Sounds serious right? Do you think an accident that sounds that serious would be reported by only one person? If you have a cell phone from 2002 or later, and who doesn't, your phone transmits your approximate location to 911 operators when you call. This information is then relayed to rescuers in the form of a cell phone tower address, your distance from that tower, and a statistical probability of that location. For example, 123 Main street, 643 feet, 90%. So when for this call I noted the cell tower was no where near where the accident was, I asked the communications center to call the phone back and get more details since we had arrived at the intersection and there is not only no accident, but no vehicles stopped or even off the roadway. The operator comes back and reports that the caller is no longer in the area and saw the accident from a block away, wasn't sure what had happened but wanted to call.
THE ACTION
Nothing we can do here but laugh. All these resourced mobilized, all these lives risked because someone thinks they might have seen something a block away and didn't even stop to see if there was trouble. It would be funny if it only happened occasionally.
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