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Another 911 call
Video here. The video clip doesn't relate the whole story; apparently she called 911, wound up relayed to wrong police department, got transferred, related her location (although too panicked to give an exact address), fled to the police station and was killed in their parking lot after being kept out by some manner of fence.
The commentators have a point: given that the event lasted 3.5 minutes, with her changing locations, it'd be hard to prove that even if 911 had handled it efficiently, she would have lived. On the other hand, if she'd been able to dial 357...
Hat tip to Don Kates...
6 Comments | Leave a comment
Yes, I believe she was negligent.
I am noticing a disturbing trend with 911 operators. Either they are being trained poorly or they are dumb as !@#$% (most likely both).
But in almost all the cases I listen to like this, the 911 operators appear to be more concerned about whether the caller is yelling, or not using a polite tone, etc. Repeatedly she wastes time saying "I can't help you if you yell!"
It sounds more like a school teacher than a 911 operator. Who cares if they're yelling, yes, I understand they need to calm the person down enough for them to get the info. But telling someone "I can't blah blah " in a life or death situation does NOT accomplish that.
She should have skipped that, remained in a calming tone. Can you give me a location. A landmark or nearby major road. (This would have been enough to look up what officers were in the area, have them kick on their lights, and get them ready.) Then I would have told her to keep driving. Do not stop, if there is a light or intersection to stop to make sure it is clear but do not wait. We will route an officer to your vehicle.
I do not think the lawsuit should be against the individual 911 operator but rather against the department training.
Sometimes you get a good one. In 2000 my wife and I were in an accident where a tree fell on our vehicle while traveling. We were both trapped in the vehicle but from the location description the operator realized instantly my cell phone call had transferred to a different county than I was actually in. She immediately transferred the call to the correct county's 911 operator and stayed on the phone until the transfer was complete. In the end the few seconds lost did not make any difference in my wife's death but I have always thought that the first operator was certainly on the ball that night to have figured out the facts so quickly.
Another tragic example of the failure of a person to protect themselves. The police can't do it, even in their own parking lot. It's up to YOU.
God bless this poor woman and her family.
The only time I ever called 911 was to report an electrical fire caused by tree falling into a rural power line. The 911 operator was such an ass that I finally told her to get stuffed and the firetrucks could find the damn fire when the whole woods went up. I then hung up the phone and went about my business.
I can't find an internet story on it ... but many years ago we also had a woman gunned down and a good samaritan crippled for life after they reached a police parking lot here in Colorado.
Before cell phones were common, police come out and of headquarters (Thornton, I think) and find a car with an unconscious guy shot up in it (no one heard anything from within).
Found out he had stopped to help a woman being assaulted along the highway, took her to the police station with assailant in pursuit, and in the parking lot the attacker took the woman (she either died there or wherever he took her) and shot the good Samaritan, crippling him for life.
I imagine both of them thought they were home free when the pulled into that parking lot. This was also before legal CCW/car carry (the latter in metropolitan areas, anyway).
Leaving your safety entirely to 911 is ridiculous. I know a 911 operator, and the stories she tells of her coworkers and the things that happen are very frightening. Admittedly 90% of their calls are stupid calls where nobody is really in danger, but for 1% or so that are like this, many operators just aren't ready to step up to the plate. And even those that are are restricted in advice by what little they know over the phone and departmental policy.
On the other hand, if she'd been able to dial 357...
Much better to dial 1911 easier to remember.