Help! Police! This is not an emergency!
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Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
There was this brazilian politic, Paulo Maluf, that once, on a live TV interview on his home, wanted to prove that the police on São Paulo was slow. So, he got the phone, did not identified himself (as he's very well known), and told the police that his house was being invaded by some armed guys. He said to the TV reporter that the police would take more than an hour to appear. The police appeared in less than 3 minutes. After a few days, the police sued him for a hoax call and he paid a fine of US$10,000. :-D Yes, even I am blogging now!
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On a serious note, Sometimes things need to reported that are not 999 For instance I was up north once and their was a bull stood on a centre reservation on a busy road. This is not a 999 incident, however it would be important to report this to the local police. But what number to call!!!! I'm in favour of an 888 service for this reason.
Paul Charles wrote: This is not a 999 incident, however it would be important to report this to the local police. But what number to call!!!! I've been in similar situations. Recently there was a swan lying on a motorway offramp for example. Maybe some knowledgeable CPian out there (why is my mind thinking "Colin"? :) ) can tell us the correct number to call?
Look at the world about you and trust to your own convictions. - Ansel Adams
Meg's World - Blog Photography -
Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
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Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
Colin Angus Mackay wrote: How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath Spiders can look very threatening when cornered. They have a large amount of relatives as well, so you can be sure there is an uncle or a cousin hovering menacingly nearby.
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On a serious note, Sometimes things need to reported that are not 999 For instance I was up north once and their was a bull stood on a centre reservation on a busy road. This is not a 999 incident, however it would be important to report this to the local police. But what number to call!!!! I'm in favour of an 888 service for this reason.
That is a 911 (US emergency incident) call. When the operator answers they will ask if it is an emergency, just say no and hold. They will get to you. There is a big problem in fires, people have been told so often not to pull the fire alarm that they will leave a building with an out of control file, and not pull the alarm to let others know. (think schools) Better to pull the alarm where it might not be needed. Same with the emergency call. Sure you can put that fire out yourself with a hose, but call first just in case you can't. Don't be afraid to call the emergency number when you might need emergency personal to respond. However don't use it unless you need them. Its better to call the emergency number for border line cases than to make a judgement yourself and be wrong. The clogging calls are things like spiders in the bathtub, where no response should be given. I think the better solution to that is to send an office to kill the spider (with some newspaper), and then send a bill for services. One office at $75/hour, minimum 1 hour, call center worker at $50/hour, 1/2 hour minimun. Would solve the problem. (and if anything those rates are low after you consider benifits) Ambulence service already charges for the call so there is precident.
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Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
I've had the police at my house in response to a 911 call. My 2 year old son had hit the speed dial. Needless to say my wife was little :-O when the officer arrived. It makes a good story. Josef Wainz Software Developer
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That is a 911 (US emergency incident) call. When the operator answers they will ask if it is an emergency, just say no and hold. They will get to you. There is a big problem in fires, people have been told so often not to pull the fire alarm that they will leave a building with an out of control file, and not pull the alarm to let others know. (think schools) Better to pull the alarm where it might not be needed. Same with the emergency call. Sure you can put that fire out yourself with a hose, but call first just in case you can't. Don't be afraid to call the emergency number when you might need emergency personal to respond. However don't use it unless you need them. Its better to call the emergency number for border line cases than to make a judgement yourself and be wrong. The clogging calls are things like spiders in the bathtub, where no response should be given. I think the better solution to that is to send an office to kill the spider (with some newspaper), and then send a bill for services. One office at $75/hour, minimum 1 hour, call center worker at $50/hour, 1/2 hour minimun. Would solve the problem. (and if anything those rates are low after you consider benifits) Ambulence service already charges for the call so there is precident.
In Dallas we have a 411 service that is used for reporting non emergency matters. Even this is misused but it seems to work quite well. Road hazards - municipal water leaks - dangerous conditions - power outages - this kinda stuff is what its for but people call in wanting to know where to renew drivers licences - location of the nearest post office - etc.. I have a friend that works for the city and they keep a top ten list posted. Its pretty funny. Richard "He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. --Albert Einstein
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In Dallas we have a 411 service that is used for reporting non emergency matters. Even this is misused but it seems to work quite well. Road hazards - municipal water leaks - dangerous conditions - power outages - this kinda stuff is what its for but people call in wanting to know where to renew drivers licences - location of the nearest post office - etc.. I have a friend that works for the city and they keep a top ten list posted. Its pretty funny. Richard "He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. --Albert Einstein
411? That's typically the number you dial when you need a phone number for a specific person or business. I thought that was standard across the US. Regards, Alvaro
Give a man a fish, he owes you one fish. Teach a man to fish, you give up your monopoly on fisheries.
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411? That's typically the number you dial when you need a phone number for a specific person or business. I thought that was standard across the US. Regards, Alvaro
Give a man a fish, he owes you one fish. Teach a man to fish, you give up your monopoly on fisheries.
Actually it is 311 not 411. Mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa :) Richard "He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. --Albert Einstein
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Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
You know, I have seen some very big spiders in the zoo. I would definately call some service if I seen one of them in the bath - it may be even be some kind of terrorist attack...who knows where is the nest and how serious it could be.
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Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
Some older model cordless phones dialed 911 by themselves when their batteries were dying...quick get the EMTs and the paddles ... crank it to 200 ... CLEAR ... ZAP ... we have a dial tone :-D Steve
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Police are summoned through 999* more than 10 million times a year, and not always for the right reasons - hoax calls, trivial incidents and people sitting on their mobiles among them. These nuisances aside, new figures show many forces aren't coping too well with the rising demand.[^] Seriously. How dumb can a person be to phone for the emergency services because there is a spider in the bath, or the kitchen tap is leaking. These people need a brain, not a police officer. * US Equivanlent is 911 / Pan-EU 112
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." --Zig Ziglar The Second EuroCPian Event will be in Brussels on the 4th of September Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way! My Blog
I have called the emergeny number for a non-emergency. I did it because, for the life of me, I could not find a non-emergency number for the police in the phone book. :doh: So I called 911 and said "this is not an emergency". Making the non-emergency number for the police very prominent in the phone book would help with this problem a lot.