Posted on 04/10/2005 11:42:58 PM PDT by Swordmaker
Today, Mrs. Swordmaker and I were leaving to go to some friends in Manteca to play Bridge. As we approached the intersection of our block with another street we saw an elderly man attempting to walk across the street. He was obviously having extreme difficulty in accomplishing this. Walking with a cane, he was actually leaning backwards to a considerable degree. He would step forward a couple of steps and then stagger backwards. As we approached he had made no progress... even though he had moved forward at least six times... each time he staggered backwards. As I stopped to help, he fell over backwards and his head hit the pavement with a sickening wet-melon sound. His glasses and baseball cap went flying.
I reached him immediately with my wife right behind me. She started stopping traffic while I knelt down to check on the man. He was bleeding profusely from a head wound on the back. He was awake, but not too alert. There was no aroma of alcohol.
A woman who had been making a turn onto our block pulled over and jumped out with her cellular phone in hand and said she would call 911. Others were stopping as the elderly man was attempting to get up. He didn't recognize his hat. Didn't know what it was. One of our neighbors came up and said he was an ex-military medic.
The woman who was calling 911 said "I can't get through... I keep getting advertising!"
Now that the man was being tended to by the ex-medic, I was able to get my cell phone. I dialed 911 and a woman answered "911. What is your problem."
I replied, "An elderly man has fallen on the street at the intersection of Alexa Way and Don Avenue and is bleeding. We need an ambulance."
The 911 operator said "Please hold." and the phone clicked. I immediately heard a voice saying: "...the California Highway Patrol..." and I started to repeat the call for help information when I heard the voice continue, "is seeking qualified candidates for employment in the exciting careers in law enforcement. If you are interested in serving your State and community please stay on the line after your call has been completed and tell..." it continued for several seconds. Then another voice came on advertising positions available in the Stockton, CA, Police Department and Fire Department... After about 20 seconds, that ad was interupted by a woman's voice saying "Stockton Fire Department... what is your emergency?" and I was finally able to tell someone what the emergency was in detail.
I wonder how many people calling 911 to report emergencies involving a loved one REALLY want to hear about job openings? How many of them continue talking, trying to convey the emergency when they are merely talking over a record advertisement?! Is this an appropriate venue for "ads on hold?" I know it delayed getting help for the elderly man who apparently had had a stroke in the middle of the street. The woman who was trying to call 911 kept trying and getting ads... and did not know she had been connected and merely needed to wait while listening to someone trying to flack something!
I can see the reasoning, even if it's not pulled off very well. They obviously want something to be playing to reassure the caller that he or she is still connected to 911 while the call is transferred. The choice of the "commercial," rather than, say music, is inexplicable, however.
This is so sickening that it breaks my heart.
Not only have we abandoned our elderly parents to "The Companion" (an emergency alert device) and to hospices, but emergencies calls are not responded to in timely fashion.
It's sick...and getting sicker, folks.
I would contact the press. Even if it is dead time while you hold, playing promotional announcements is obscene.
I want to know I have reached the right place... A repeating recorded statement such as "You are connected to 911 emergency services. We will be talking with you momentarily. Please have your location and other vital information available."
An advertisement of ANYKIND is not what I want to listen to when I am trying to save someone's life.
I understand the problems with nusaiance calls to 911 forcing other more important calls to be placed on hold... when I finally got the information to the correct person, the ambulance and firetruck responded within two minutes. It is the confusion of a person trying to call for help getting a recording that mentions "California Highway Patrol", "Stockton Police Department" and "Stockton Fire Department" when thinking they think they are talking to a human being.
The first woman who was attempting to make the call kept hanging up because she was getting advertising.
Geeeeeezzz.
The possibllities are limitless.
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Scary, ain't it...
I couldn't agree more. I'm a paramedic and this just makes me sick.
Many people would react just as that lady did, by hanging up and calling back over and over again in a panic.
You should certainly contact them on a non emergency line and voice your opinion.
Absolutely the thing to do - make it public - and they will not like the reaction. Bet it would be stopped pronto
The response time was excellent... the advertisements weren't! The Fire/Rescue trucks were there within two minutes after I got through.
that is good that the responce was that fast, the ad's can go.
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