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f6twister · 04-12-2006, 10:11 AM

As a 911 operator for the last seven years, I can tell you that how the call was handled would be unacceptable where I work.

I get prank calls every night. While both common and very annoying, they all have one thing in common, they never involve someone asking me to send someone to their house. Why would a kid prank 911 and ask them to send help for his mom? Before anyone tries to argue, yes, I'm sure it has been done before, but that is no excuse.

The argument was raised that maybe they were busy and it took a while for a police squad to be free to take the call. While possible, in a large city like Detroit, rescue personnel are frequently sent to calls without police. In response to the call she received, the minimum that should have been done is to dispatch rescue personnel. Better to have rescue on scene with no emergency than to have no one on scene where someone needs help.

911 operators are not mindless government employees. They are trained to receive calls, evaluate the situation and prioritize based on the circumstances. A number of states have mandatory training and certification for 911 operators, some do not. My state is one that doesn't but it does not change the job or the responsibility that goes along with it.

Just a short personal story to go along with this: I received a 911 call from a four year old girl. She could only tell me her first name and that mommy fell. I asked her if I could talk to mommy. She said no. Was this a prank? All I had was a first name, a statement that mommy fell and no confirmation by an adult. I sent an officer and paged an ambulance. Turns out that mommy did indeed fall....down the basement stairs....while 8 months pregnant with her next child....and was unconscious. Had I chose to treat this as the Detroit dispatcher did, both this lady and her unborn child could have died. This is exactly why someone is sent to every 911 call.

04-12-2006, 10:11 AM	#56 (permalink)
f6twister Addict	As a 911 operator for the last seven years, I can tell you that how the call was handled would be unacceptable where I work. I get prank calls every night. While both common and very annoying, they all have one thing in common, they never involve someone asking me to send someone to their house. Why would a kid prank 911 and ask them to send help for his mom? Before anyone tries to argue, yes, I'm sure it has been done before, but that is no excuse. The argument was raised that maybe they were busy and it took a while for a police squad to be free to take the call. While possible, in a large city like Detroit, rescue personnel are frequently sent to calls without police. In response to the call she received, the minimum that should have been done is to dispatch rescue personnel. Better to have rescue on scene with no emergency than to have no one on scene where someone needs help. 911 operators are not mindless government employees. They are trained to receive calls, evaluate the situation and prioritize based on the circumstances. A number of states have mandatory training and certification for 911 operators, some do not. My state is one that doesn't but it does not change the job or the responsibility that goes along with it. Just a short personal story to go along with this: I received a 911 call from a four year old girl. She could only tell me her first name and that mommy fell. I asked her if I could talk to mommy. She said no. Was this a prank? All I had was a first name, a statement that mommy fell and no confirmation by an adult. I sent an officer and paged an ambulance. Turns out that mommy did indeed fall....down the basement stairs....while 8 months pregnant with her next child....and was unconscious. Had I chose to treat this as the Detroit dispatcher did, both this lady and her unborn child could have died. This is exactly why someone is sent to every 911 call. __________________ A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin