On hold for 911

[96firephoenix]

This is a case study for those who think calling 911 is a suitable response to an emergency.

So tonight at ~00:55 I was riding home from Brownsburg, and I saw a car traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of US-136 near the Marion/Hendricks line. I called 911 and first got Hendricks, and she asked where I was and since I Was in Marion county at the time, got transferred to Marion 911. Makes sense, but I was on hold for a full 3 minutes with 911.

The best part of it was that the lady that I finally talked to tried to tell me that the timer on my cell phone was wrong. When my phone timer read 4:43, she tried to tell me I had only been calling for 46 seconds.

Lesson learned: 911 can not be a fully reliable source of emergency aid. Know what to do in an emergency; know your first aid; know how to defend yourself; know how to stop or slow a fire.

 

[Doug]

I have heard the 911 system referred to as "state sponsored Dial-a Prayer."

 

[melensdad]

The best part of it was that the lady that I finally talked to tried to tell me that the timer on my cell phone was wrong. When my phone timer read 4:43, she tried to tell me I had only been calling for 46 seconds.

You are BOTH correct.

Your cell phone starts the timer when the phone is dialed.

Her 911 response timer started when the call was transferred to her 911 Marian County call district from Hendricks County 911 call district.

In any case, the TOTAL response time is the real issue in an emergency and for those people who have cellular phones and expect to get the 'correct' 911 response center on the first try you may be in for a real surprise and a rude awakening!

I found this out the hard way long ago when I called 911 in a similar circumstance. My call went to the 911 call center for the city in which my phone number's pre-fix belonged, but I was nowhere near that city at the time I made the call. . . wait . . . transfer . . . more waiting . . . by the time the call got picked up the, oh well, it doesn't matter . . .


Best bet, if you have a cell phone and want to call for emergency help, call 2 minutes BEFORE the emergency actually happens, by the time your car is upside down in the ditch you'll be connected to the correct operator.

 

[96firephoenix]

You are BOTH correct.

Your cell phone starts the timer when the phone is dialed.

Her 911 response timer started when the call was transferred to her 911 Marian County call district from Hendricks County 911 call district.

The hold message said "marion county 911....."

 

[canav844]

I know someone who's wife walked home smelled gas got out called 911 from her cell in the front yard, gave the address to the dispatcher, it took 3min to get 911 center for a city 60miles away, 20minutes for them to convince the local dispatch that they did indeed live in the county, and then they had to provide turn by turn directions to the house. It turned out to be nothing, but it gave them a whole new perspective as to what would actually happen if someone had broken in or the house was on fire.

I used to dispatch, I know exactly the set of circumstances that can take an emergent response and delayed it by 45minutes even after your call has gone through and it's been given out to the officers. We had a saying dispatchers save seconds and seconds save lives; but that cannot change the harsh reality that when seconds matter help is minutes away.

 

[JetGirl]

I know someone who's wife walked home smelled gas got out called 911 from her cell in the front yard, gave the address to the dispatcher, it took 3min to get 911 center for a city 60miles away, 20minutes for them to convince the local dispatch that they did indeed live in the county, and then they had to provide turn by turn directions to the house. It turned out to be nothing, but it gave them a whole new perspective as to what would actually happen if someone had broken in or the house was on fire.

I used to dispatch, I know exactly the set of circumstances that can take an emergent response and delayed it by 45minutes even after your call has gone through and it's been given out to the officers. We had a saying dispatchers save seconds and seconds save lives; but that cannot change the harsh reality that when seconds matter help is minutes away.

Exactly.
Happened to my mom... she collapsed and was unconscious. Her husband panicked and called 911, but they didn't understand him...he was freaked out. He called me (I'm here in IN, they are in FL!)...I'm on one phone with him trying to calm him down and get him to go turn on every light in the house and turn his truck lights on aiming at the house...and I'm on the other phone with THEIR 911 people, talking them into the sticks until they see lights. I could hear their sirens on his phone for what seemed like forever, before they got the right road and showed up. It was a MESS. Took an eternity.

 

[45fan]

Jet Girl, you sound like you would be qualified to be a forward air controller, I would be completely confused trying to talk to two calm people, let alone two conversations with people in an emergency situation.

911 is a nice feature, but I have found it faster to keep the number for the local police or sherrifs dispatch on my phone, one less person to talk to. I live about as far from my counties center as I can without being in the next county, but have never had to wait more than 10-15 min for officers to be on site, even in a non-emergency.
As far as a break in situation, the best option I have found is to be vigilant, and stay armed.

 

[JetGirl]

Jet Girl, you sound like you would be qualified to be a forward air controller, I would be completely confused trying to talk to two calm people, let alone two conversations with people in an emergency situation.

No, thanks! I saw "Pushing Tin"!!

 

[$mooth]

snip

In any case, the TOTAL response time is the real issue in an emergency and for those people who have cellular phones and expect to get the 'correct' 911 response center on the first try you may be in for a real surprise and a rude awakening!

I've used it once in Indy with my Texas area code cell phone and had no problem. Connected straight to Marion Co. Same with a buddy who had to call in a truck on fire while he was with me, he has a Cali area code.

side rant: I have that problem when I call AAA. My call to their generic 1-800 number is always auto-directed to their TX folks who are annoyed that I called them and not Indiana; and sometimes get really confused cause my card is based out of the Mid-Atlantic region (DC). You would think that more of their members travel so this would happen often.

 

[shibumiseeker]

911 is used to alert the authorities that something they need to deal with has happened.

911 is not used to summon immediate help to neutralize the situation.

You want immediate help, call in an airstrike or artillery. Nothing else works.

Repeat as necessary.

 

[SSGSAD]

I've used it once in Indy with my Texas area code cell phone and had no problem. Connected straight to Marion Co. Same with a buddy who had to call in a truck on fire while he was with me, he has a Cali area code.

side rant: I have that problem when I call AAA. My call to their generic 1-800 number is always auto-directed to their TX folks who are annoyed that I called them and not Indiana; and sometimes get really confused cause my card is based out of the Mid-Atlantic region (DC). You would think that more of their members travel so this would happen often.

I used to dispatch, AAA, they shut down Indy area dispatch, the building, along I-65, north, near Laf. Sq., now it is in Ok..... Even, the 317, number, goes to Ok.,

 

[Denny347]

Cell phones bounce off the nearest tower for their carrier. If that tower happens to sit in a different county/city, the call goes to their dispatch.

 

[Jake46184]

About 3 years ago, I witnessed a mugging in the Meijer parking lot at I-65 & Southport Road. A guy grabbed a woman's purse and ran Westbound (towards the interstate.) I called 911 and was put on hold. 8 MINUTES LATER I hung up and went on my way. By that time, the store manager had come out and called 911 on her cell phone. When I left, she was still on hold as well.