...for the medical aid...


First run back in my old house this morning and I'm shaking my head already.
Some calls I get. Some reasons I understand. But at some point someone has to step up and tell these callers, "Maybe you can wait."

THE EMERGENCY

A caller states she was talking to her grandmother, got in an argument, and now grandma won't pick up the phone.

THE ACTION

Yes. 2 police cars, a fire engine and ambulance are responding to a welfare check following a phone argument. The caller told dispatch grandma had a heart attack once and that got coded as a chest pain cardiac/severe.

As we arrived the police are coming back down the stairs waving us off with angry faces.
"This is nothing guys," one officer says, "Grandma was mad and didn't want to talk anymore."

How did this call get through and coded as an emergency? We may never know. Even worse, someone out there actually thought this classified as a 911 call.
Your tax dollars at work.
Amazing. Truly amazing.

Comments

MotorCop said…
*sigh*. Sometimes it's all I can do.
Shasta said…
Thanks for writing this stuff. It gives those of us on the outside some insight into what you go through. And, as an anthropologist, I must say I'm tantalized by the research opportunities your experiences hint at!
The Happy Medic said…
OK, "Tantalized" beats anything on 999, Rescuing Providence or Motorcop.

Anthropology wise, you can learn a lot about a people by the way they abuse their emergency services.

You're welcome on 99 anytime.
mrs. fuzz said…
I'm with motorcop. *sigh*