Very good encounter today

Scruit · Post by **Scruit** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:36 pm

If I knew the local police # then I'd call that, or 1-877-7-patrol for the highway patrol. If I didn't know the local police # then I would call 911 if there was a risk of injury should someone hit the car. ie 25mph zone is not as dangerous as a 55mph road.

The officer indicated that he wanted to see the permit because his dispatch would ask about it when he ran the plate. I see nothing wrong with that.

dan_sayers · Post by **dan_sayers** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:27 pm

I think the point being that a car that JUST broke down with it's owner/operator actively seeking to remove it from an active causeway is no reason to run the plates.

And didn't the concept of 911 being life or death go out a decade ago? I've called 911 numerous times for less and despite having frequent flyer miles, have yet to be counseled to the contrary.

David · Post by **David** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:22 am

Daniel,
You did the right thing by calling 911. You needed the police in a hurry and that is what it is for. Personal safety was an issue. Sometimes, the 911 and non emergency number go to the same dispatcher anyway.

David
Firefighter/Paramedic

Bersa45 · Post by **Bersa45** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:22 am

yeah, he wasn't calling 911 because he got the wrong order at McDonalds like we here about on the news.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:53 pm

Suppose you had been trepadacious and NOT called 911.

The someone rams you and dies and then everyone would be saying, "Why didn't you just call 911! That' what it's there for!"

Shadow

emt118 · Post by **emt118** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:22 pm

[quote="David"]Daniel,
You did the right thing by calling 911. You needed the police in a hurry and that is what it is for. Personal safety was an issue. Sometimes, the 911 and non emergency number go to the same dispatcher anyway.

Just my 2c
Hes right being a 911 Dispatcher in Jefferson County I can tell you that the inside cover of the phone book shows our office 7 digit number as being the contact number for all local Police,fire and ems for emergencys and non-emergencys ...except for the major towns ...... but 911 will take them all....

On another note I can say we have gotten calls like this to cats in a tree (YES -no B.S. ) won't say how I would (LIKE) to reply to the cat one.

......lol
One Call even wanted me to send a ems unit for a cat having kittens at 3:00am one night (It was a adult caller ) ....and cell callers are a hole new issue ,,,
So over these kind of calls a call like the one here is a emergency to me due to being in a major flow of traffic not just for this guys saftey but for the one sleeping driver that might hit him have taken calls like that before (not good) .

SOLOLUCKY · Post by **SOLOLUCKY** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:24 pm

I agree 100%. call 911...thats what its there for, not just in emergencies but to prevent them. and broke down "in" a highway is an emergency....because it soon could be a tragic emergency!

tjeffries · Post by **tjeffries** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:30 pm

I've almost been hit on the highway in an ambulance lit up like a Christmas tree at the scene. Believe me, the police would much rather respond to your problem than to sort out the mess and write up the report if someone were to hit your car.

emt118 · Post by **emt118** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:22 pm

You got that right have not seen a cop yet that likes paper work ......

PAJOHNOHIO · Post by **PAJOHNOHIO** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:35 pm

FireEMSPolice wrote:
Daniel964 wrote:I wasn't in a safe place. I was stalled in the middle of the road with people passing on both sides. I called right away because I believe last year a vehicle was rear ended near that spot and a person killed.

Also hazards were on.
I understand the middle of the road isnt a safe place, but still no reason to call 911. Get some flares out, good that your hazards were on. You mentioned that traffic was already going around you. 911 is for life/death emergencies.

I so disagree. First of all, most cell phones dial 9-1-1 into some central dispatcher. This is a non issue. If the guy called 9-1-1 who cares? Its not like he called 9-1-1 to have the cops pick him up a gallon of milk. He was in traffic, the cops didn's chastise him for calling 9-1-1, and he was right for calling. This guy posts to applaud a local police agency for being helpful and is getting drilled for calling 9-1-1. How petty!

jeepjon · Post by **jeepjon** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:13 am

It wasn't like you were calling 911 over a litterbug or something. Having a background in EMS, and going into EM, I have seen the aftermath of accidents...people don't stop, pull over, or even pay attention while you're driving. Sometimes, also, people don't have flares in their cars either...or other marking items. It would have been prudent to have those items, but everyone came out safe and sound. Sounds to me like that is the outcome we're looking for.

As far as the whole CHL license checking...I don't know how likely this is, but imagine you were a not-so-good-guy illegally carrying a gun when a cop shows up. If you knew he wouldn't check you for a permit if you said you had a license, then wouldn't you say "I have a license to carry!". I think that it was a positive experience. If you were driving on the road, and the officer asked for your driver's license, is that so bad? I don't think we should have to have gun permits at all..but while we have them, I don't think this was a bad "presumed guilty" situation at all.
Just my thought,
Jon

Glockulator · Post by **Glockulator** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:42 pm

Daniel964 wrote:I intend on calling their department Monday to let their supervisor know how pleased I was with their help.

good story, sorry 'bout the car though.

be sure to let us know how the phone call goes. will be very interested in how that's received.

Matt Cush · Post by **Matt Cush** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:51 am

Daniel, thanks for the thread on the good experience you had, and for using your head and calling 911.

What I cannot figure out is how a good story gets turned into a discussion about the misuse of 911 ? 21 years on the fire/EMS service have taught me a valuable lessen, we would much rather get called for prevention than E-Action.

I don't know who questioned it, but who ever it is, please rethink. Is there a particular reason you wouldn't want law enforcement there ? You're legal, you need help.

SMMAssociates · Post by **SMMAssociates** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:30 am

Matt:

What I cannot figure out is how a good story gets turned into a discussion about the misuse of 911 ?

It's called "thread drift"....

You did it yourself with the above question

....

If the original poster mentioned that he was driving a blue car, somebody might come along and suggest that yellow would be more visible....

In some cases, moderators can snip off stuff like that and put it in other threads or into the bit bucket, but it takes a lot of extra work.

Also, this one's fairly "on topic" - the correct use or misuse of 911 is of interest to all of us. I think you'll agree that not everybody knows (or chooses to obey) the rules there. In this case, "imminent danger to life and property" probably would be acceptable.

The other issue with 911 is that it's a "universal" number. I keep the local PD's "regular" number handy, but 911 is there if I need the Cleveland or Akron or Bolivar PD from my shoe phone too. Not that I'd use it to report a cold cup of McD's coffeee, but a disabled vehicle "in traffic" is a good reason.

The whole thing reminds me of situations where a local official puts his phone number "on display" and then finds out that people are calling at all hours of the day and night to report pot holes. A little common sense and a little education. Let the Dispatcher decide if the call is really worth it after the caller has thought about it for a few seconds.

Just IMHO....

Regards,

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Very good encounter today

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