When have you had to call 911?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This subject was brought up when Bri and I passed a very sad, very much alive large dog trapped against a wall right next to the car pool lane on the 134. We weren’t sure who to call–911? 411? Police? CHP? Animal Control? Turns out, we called all but 911, only to later learn 911 was probably the best option.

We started talking about the times we’ve had to actually call 911…for him, it was reporting a neighbor being attacked by her ex, and reporting a car accident that happened before his eyes.

For me, it was when I was in a car accident, as well as one time I observed a fender-bender between the two cars in front on me on a road.

You?

2

One time I was walking home when I saw a guy on the sidewalk, shaking around in what appeared to be a seizure. (This was at around 3 in the afternoon.) I went into a Dunkin Donuts and called 911. Then an ambulance came, and I walked home.

3

I had 911 called on my by my niece and nephew for something I didn’t do. Around Christmas time this last year (some of you may remember the story) my nephew went out to do drugs with the hoodlum children that robbed my sister. Anyway, he came back all high and tried to hit her with his little baseball bat. I pinned him on the ground and threw the bat away. No damage to him other than hurt pride and no damage to anyone else involved. He would probably have a bone or two in my sister seeing how she weighs about 105 lbs and he is pretty close. He is such a little scumbag child. Luckily, the majority of the blame can be put on his father whom he lived with for most of his life until he moved back in with my sister about a year ago. His father is really messed up. (My sister married him right out of high school and he never worked or did anything constructive. He remarried some other woman who was just as bad or worse (seeing how she was illegally in the states at the time…true story) and they both mooched off the welfare program and probably still are.)

Anyway, the little bastard went inside after my sister sent him to his room and we were sitting and talking when suddenly the police arrived. He called the police and said that I was choking him which I wasn’t needless to say. And the police questioned me first, my sister, then him. He didn’t think that they would actually look for any physical signs of damage which they did and they found nothing since nothing was there. He really is a scumbag. I really hate kids and he is one of the worst. I am so happy that I will never have kids.

HUGS!
Sqrl

4

I’ve been lucky that I’ve only had to call 911 twice in my life.

The first was a motorcycle accident that I witnessed happen right in front of my house–a teenager from down the street had his girlfriend on the back of his motorcycle. He popped a wheelie going around the corner, and lost control of the motorcycle. The guy was ok, with a little road rash, but his girlfriend was knocked out cold.

The second time, I was inside my house when I heard the crunch of a car accident–but then I heard a <thump thump thump thump THUD> afterwards. I ran outside to see a car sticking out of my neighbor’s house (apparently the guy had blacked out at the wheel, hit 2 cars on the main street, went over the divider, then hit the house).

5

I’ve been lucky that I’ve only had to call 911 twice in my life.

The first was a motorcycle accident that I witnessed happen right in front of my house–a teenager from down the street had his girlfriend on the back of his motorcycle. He popped a wheelie going around the corner, and lost control of the motorcycle. The guy was ok, with a little road rash, but his girlfriend was knocked out cold.

The second time, I was inside my house when I heard the crunch of a car accident–but then I heard a <thump thump thump thump THUD> afterwards. I ran outside to see a car sticking out of my neighbor’s house (apparently the guy had blacked out at the wheel, hit 2 cars on the main street, went over the divider, then hit the house).

6

The first time for me happened one lovely summer evening a couple of years ago as my girlfriend and I were sitting in our apartment watching TV. Suddenly we heard an explosion and screaming from the street. We went out on the balcony and saw three terrified young girls standing just down the street from a flaming car. The car was burning so hot that the windows were exploding - glass flying everywhere. The cars that were parked in front of and behind the burning car had their lights and bumpers melted. We called the fire department who came and put out the blaze. We had to talk to the police about what we saw.

The second time, I didn’t make the call, but it’s a good story so I’ll tell it anyway. My parents were in town for a conference (Dad’s a doctor). We went to a local jazz club to go dancing. The band was playing 20’s and 30’s jazz, and there were several senior citizens in attendance. About 3 songs into the first set, an elderly man dancing with his wife collapsed. Dad, being a doctor, immediately began CPR, and 911 was called. I took it upon myself to wait outside for the ambulance. A fire truck, lights flashing, drove by and I flagged it down. Turns out they were on another cardiac arrest call at the Veteran’s hall a block down the street and wouldn’t help us! A minute later the fire truck arrived for our call. Unfortunately, the man died. Shaken, we finished our drinks and went home.

7

For a while I wanted to get a bumper sticker with “I don’t call 911, I call 1911” It’s equivalent to “this truck protected by Smith & Wesson” but a wee bit too obscure if one doesn’t know firarms. Besides, I don’t put bumper stickers on my vehicles.

A few months ago I saw a severe wreck where the car in front of me was T-boned from the side. If I had been fifty yards ahead it would have been mee but I was on the phone to the 911 dispatcher by the time I got to the intersection. Apparently the guy that hit the two other cars involved was drunk and had been sideswiping parked cars for nearly a mile approaching the intersection. The people he hit were severely injured but he only had a broken arm and tried to make an escape in a nearby apartment compled. Fortunately he was captured.

Travelling down I-10 I saw a tuna boat size, 60’s Pontiac half on the shoulder and half in the left traffic lane. I was afraid someone would be passing before they noticed this thing in the way.

Before I ever had a mobile phone I saw a guy go down the wrong side of a divided secondary Highway north of Tucson. Honking my horn and flashing lights didn’t get his attention but luckily he drove by a highway patrol car. Sometimes there is a cop around when you need one.

8

I’ve never called 911, but my mom did ( if it existed 25 years ago. When did 911 get implemented, anyways?) when my dad dropped on the floor from having a heart attack
( brought on by chemo and radiation). The fire trucks whooooo whoooooed down the street and woke up everyone early on Saturday morning.
My mom, in tears, was screaming at the fire trucks saying she wanted an ambulance. He was saved, but died about two weeks later.

I watched the entire episode through the crack in my bedroom door.

9

I am a lifeguard and have had to call 911 a lot.

The worst was for a 6 year old kid we had to put on a spine board. He had a suspected lumbar spinal. It was really bad. He turned out to be okay though.

Other times have been for a guy with a slit above his eye that you could fit your finger into. Needless to say it was bleeding, A LOT.

Another one was for a guy who had his glasses smashed and had glass in his eye.

The list does go on and on. You get very used to it, which is kinda disturbing. I would not want to be an Ambulance driver.

10

I was 12 the first time I had to call. My father was beating my mother and she was unable to get away from him so I ran across the street to our neighbor for help and to use her phone since I couldn’t get to ours.

The second time I called I was a SR. in high school and it was the week of spring break. I had decided to redo my bathroom. I was scraping paint off the window that faced the road when I heard a vehicle come roaring down the road and then try and slow down when he came to the large curve in front of the house. To late though, he hit the curve and his truck flipped over three times and neither he or his girlfriend had on seatbelts. His girlfriend was thrown from the truck as it flipped over and he was still inside. Thankfully by the time EMS showed up both had started moving around and neither of them had a scratch on them.

The last time I had to call for my then one month old daughter had stopped breathing. Thankfully she was ok and is now a beautiful, healthy 10 year old.

11

I have called 911 twice in my life. The first time is kinda funny, kinda sad. The second one was exciting.

I had carpooled to work with my friend when I recieved a call from my Mother telling em that my great-grandmother had died (the sad part). It was expected, she had been really bad the last few months. Anyway, I asked my friend if I could borrow his car to go home and I would come back and pick him up at the end of his shift. He said ok, so I took his car and drove home. Now his car is not the best in the world. The poor thing is a 1985 Chrystler New Yorker with over 200K on it. So when I pulled into my driveway and the engine compartment was on fire it was not totally surprising. I ran into the house and called 911 while my brothers pulled out the garden hose and put the fire out. The fire dept. arrived about 3 minutes later and watched us put the fire out, took a report and left. Then I had to call my friend and tell him. The sound of his voice when I told him that his car caught on fire was hilarious. Anyway, turns out the fuel injectors had gone bad and some how had leaked fuel which caught on fire. The repairs only cost ~$300 so it was not all that bad.

The second time I called 911 was when a traffic accident happened right in front of me. I was merging onto the freeway when I looked to my left and saw a car doing 75+ slam right into the center divide. It was a scary experience, but the guy was all right, just really shaken up. What was scary though, was that I was the first peron to the car and the guy had locked the door of his car and was passed out. But from where I was outside the car, it looked like he was seriously injured. So I kept banging on the window to wake him up. He did not, so I ran back to my car and got my Mag light and smashed the rear window of the car and opened the doors. That was when he decided to wake up. He had no injuries besides a sore chest, which came from the airbag being deployed.

-N

12

I’ve never had to call 911. Maybe that is because the ambulance was right behind the 18 wheeler that hit me July 9th 1997. It drug me 1 block. Sheared my right ankle and half the bone and tore out muscle. Broke my left hip, 4 ribs. Puntured my right lung, lacurated spleen. I died but when the ambulance ran over the railroad tracks, I started to breath again. A docter told me that if I wasn’t so flexible it would have hurt me a lot worse. And the pics on Boo Boo’s home page was taken about 6 months after the accident. Not may scares.

13

I’ve never had to call 911. Maybe that is because the ambulance was right behind the 18 wheeler that hit me July 9th 1997. It drug me 1 block. Sheared my right ankle and half the bone and tore out muscle. Broke my left hip, 4 ribs. Puntured my right lung, lacurated spleen. I died but when the ambulance ran over the railroad tracks, I started to breath again. A docter told me that if I wasn’t so flexible it would have hurt me a lot worse. And the pics on Boo Boo’s home page was taken about 6 months after the accident. Not may scars. 6 to be exact. My ankle is the worse.

14

I’ve never had to call 911. Maybe that is because the ambulance was right behind the 18 wheeler that hit me July 9th 1997. It drug me 1 block. Sheared my right ankle and half the bone and tore out muscle. Broke my left hip, 4 ribs. Puntured my right lung, lacurated spleen. I died but when the ambulance ran over the railroad tracks, I started to breath again. A docter told me that if I wasn’t so flexible it would have hurt me a lot worse. And the pics on Boo Boo’s home page was taken about 6 months after the accident. Not may scars. 9 to be exact. My ankle is the worst.

15

My first time calling 911, or 112 as we know it in Europe, was pretty lame. I needed an on-call dentist for a wisdom tooth emergency.
The second time was a bit worse. The phone rang at about 2 am, it was my parents calling from Madrid where they were on holiday. They had been mugged by a group of teenagers who had knocked my mother out and punched my father in the face. They were alright, but couldn’t get through to cancel their credit cards. I panicked. I went looking for the studid number and finally I just gave up and called 112. The lady was really nice about it, slow night I suppose, and gave me the phone number. I managed to cancel the cards and the whole story had a happy ending.

16

I have never personally called 911, but my wife has, for our family, twice.

The most recent time was for me! About a month and a half ago, I woke up at 1:00 with severe pain in my left abdomen. Cramping and pain spreading to my left chest and down into my testicles. I also felt feverish and sweaty. I went to the bathroom, thinking it was really bad intestinal discomfort, but no dice. I went back to bed, hoping it would pass, but it got worse, and I got scared. I woke Barb, telling her I was in pain. Since I rarely complain about being sick or in pain, esp. at 1 AM, she knew something was wrong and called 911.

Cops arrived, ambulance guys arrived, and although I was feeling better by that time, I figured something had to be wrong so I agreed to have them take me to the hospital. My first ride in a meat wagon. Yee ha. Turns out I most likely was passing a kidney stone (runs in my family, Dad and older bro both have had the pleasure). I pissed in a bottle, got an IV drip and was sent home. Helluvan experience. If I never have that happen to me again, it’ll be too soon.

The other time was much scarier. Our son was about a year and a half and was sick. Ran a fever. I was taking a shower, when my wife yelled at me that something was wrong. Seemed she was playing with him on the bed when he went into convulsions from the fever. She called 911 while I towelled off, and the cops and ambulance folk arrived really quickly. They took him to the hospital, while my folks came over and waited with our daughter. It was a rough time, but he came out just fine.

The thing that sticks in my mind about that incident was how haggard my father looked as we sat together and waited for the EMS techs to work with my boy. I’ve never seen my father look so old, and I don’t ever want to see him look that way again. He’s a good man, and my folks came over as soon as we called them. Imagine the devastation of having such a young grandchild suffer an incomprehensible and unknown thing as that. I’ll never forget the way he looked that evening.

My son, by the way, is the scratch-and-dent model. His hospital dossier is as thick as the Pentagon Papers. Remind me to tell you about the time the bicycle fell on his head, or when he cut himself on a balloon.

17

The first time I had to call 911 was when I was 9 years old. My parents were both at work and it was just my sister, one of my brothers, and me at home. It was about 9:00pm, so it was dark outside.

Out of nowhere, we hear knocking on one of the second story windows. Then we hear knocking on one of the first story windows. Naturally, we start freaking out. The three of us, crawling around on the floor screaming as quietly as we can, see flashlights shining through the windows. My sister gets to the phone and calls the man she babysits for, John. So my brother and I start yelling at her to call the cops. We were all freaking out and screaming as loud as we could. The knocking started to get louder and it looked like there were 50 flashlights shining into the living room. So I get on the phone and call the cops. Crying and screaming, I try to tell the dispatcher what my problem is. Just as I’m giving her my address, someone bursts through the front door.

Startled, I slammed the phone down and started screaming at the top of my lungs. My sister was huddled in a corner crying, and my brother had disappeared. (to where we later learned was under my mom and dad’s bed)

It was my oldest brother. And his friends. Pulling a practical joke. There were about 10 of them, hiding in this huge tree in my front yard.

The cops came, yelled at the boys, lectured me about hanging up the phone, and left. My oldest brother got grounded for a month. Served him right.

18

My nieghbors used to fight alot and I mostly ignored them. One day I could clearly hear the daughter pleading with her father, “Daddy, put the knife down.”
I called 911.
The police where there in 2 minutes and took the man away in handcuffs. A few weeks later he came back, banging on her door and begging for forgiveness. She did not let him back in. The last I heard, she never went back to him.

19

I’ve called 911 a time or two but now they’ve changed the system around her so you’re supposed to call 911 even for non-emergencies. I guess they got tired of people calling 911 when they shouldn’t and not calling when they should. I called the police for a routine report and they told me to hang up and call 911.

My family does have a learning experience with 911, however:

A few years ago Mrs. Pluto was at our kids’ elementary school for a Halloween parade. The school had invited some local senior citizens to be their guests. One of the older ladies, who was sitting right in front of Mrs. P., collapsed onto the floor. Mrs. P. and her friend started CPR and they sent someone to call 911.

Now, the school is located right across the street from a fire station. So instead of calling, they run across the street to get the paramedices. It seemed like a good idea at the time but the station was empty – they were out on another call. They had to run back and use the phone. Mrs. Pluto says it seemed like hours before the EMTs got there but it was probably less than 10 minutes.

BTW, the patient recovered fully. In fact, the attack was the first indication she had of a heart problem which they fixed and she felt better than she had for years.

If you’re still not bored – whenever Mrs. Pluto and this particular friend got together they seemed to invite disaster. There was the CPR incident, they were riding in an elevator which skipped a floor (twice!) on the way down, they were in the Seattle Metro bus tunnel during a shooting. After all this we told them to stay away from each other – but nooo! – they think it’s all superstition. The result: an earthquake!!

20

Just one call for me…

At the time I was working at a Starbucks that was located underneath one of the larger bridges in the city. Right at the enterance to Granville Island Market. One day I heard a large explosion overhead! My attempts to phone 911 proved futile, as the line was busy. I called every 30 seconds or so until I got through about fifteen minutes before. The line was clogged with other people phoning about the same accident. Whew.

It turns out a couple idiots were driving drunk over the bridge and slammed into the guardrails as they were taking the off-ramp. The exploding sound was their car self-destructing on the concrete. No one was hurt, but the dolts decided to get rid of the last of their booze by dumping it over the edge of the bridge. Now, this bridge has large apartment buildings right beside it that are looking down onto the pavement surface, and everyone living on the upper floors had come out to look at what happened. A whole lotta witnesses to the dumbasses idiocy.

Ok, time for me to shut up.
-niggle