My husband worked 911 dispatch the year before grad-school. He'd only tell me the funny ones (so I wouldn't worry) and there were some real side-splitters!
His favorite is the drunk guy that called to complain that the car across the street was "parked in a racist manner". When pressed for details, the guy just kept repeating his accusation. Investigation couldn't figure out what in the world the guy was talking about.
My favorite is the woman that called, total panic because there was a turtle in her yard. Now, in Florida, there are some truly huge turtles that occassionally get into yards. This particular woman was distraught because the turtle had almost attacked her two-year-old child. After finding out the child was only very scared, the dispatcher asked where the turtle was at that moment. "I put it in a box on the back porch. How soon can you send someone to get it?" (pause for silence) "Ma'am, how big is that turtle?" "Oh, about 6 inches" (pause for silence) "Ma'am, do you live near a vacant lot?" "Well, we live next to a wooded area that comes up behind the yard" (pause for silence) "PUT THE TURTLE BACK IN THE WOODS".
Michigan Note for Dean: Last year I called 9-1-1 in Lansing because there was a very young child curled up in the street behind our house (pleasant upper-middle subdivision). The operator refused to dispatch an ambulance until I went to find out if the child was black or white. Interesting.
There is a little old man that calls the dispatch center where I work around 6 AM every morning. He has Alzheimers. The dispatchers are always kind to him but they can't figure out if he calls because he can't remember the time or if he just finds comfort in knowing that someone is always there. You can tell by his voice that he is feeble. And he always says "thank you".
Usually, the dispatcher would firmly tell a caller like that not to use 911 for non- emergencies but they have all gotten attached to him. It will be sad when he stops calling.
Whenever we bring up a new cellular site we are required to confirm correct 911 connectivity. I politely tell them "This is a non-emergency call. I am a tech with (cellular company) calling to confirm a new site." During the buildout, when we were doing this every few days, some of the dispatchers got rather huffy. One day when there was a major emergency on, we were asked not to call again for a while, and we waited until the news announced the all-clear. Generally, everyone has been quite cooperative and friendly.
I have been a 911 dispatcher for the past 13 years. I have taken all these calls, more than once.
Last week I had a lady call that wanted the police to come and explain to her 12 year old son what her rights as a parent were.
I have also had people want the police to come and make their children do their homework and another woman who wanted the police to make her daughter get up and go to school.
My husband worked 911 dispatch the year before grad-school. He'd only tell me the funny ones (so I wouldn't worry) and there were some real side-splitters!
His favorite is the drunk guy that called to complain that the car across the street was "parked in a racist manner". When pressed for details, the guy just kept repeating his accusation. Investigation couldn't figure out what in the world the guy was talking about.
My favorite is the woman that called, total panic because there was a turtle in her yard. Now, in Florida, there are some truly huge turtles that occassionally get into yards. This particular woman was distraught because the turtle had almost attacked her two-year-old child. After finding out the child was only very scared, the dispatcher asked where the turtle was at that moment. "I put it in a box on the back porch. How soon can you send someone to get it?" (pause for silence) "Ma'am, how big is that turtle?" "Oh, about 6 inches" (pause for silence) "Ma'am, do you live near a vacant lot?" "Well, we live next to a wooded area that comes up behind the yard" (pause for silence) "PUT THE TURTLE BACK IN THE WOODS".
Michigan Note for Dean: Last year I called 9-1-1 in Lansing because there was a very young child curled up in the street behind our house (pleasant upper-middle subdivision). The operator refused to dispatch an ambulance until I went to find out if the child was black or white. Interesting.
There is a little old man that calls the dispatch center where I work around 6 AM every morning. He has Alzheimers. The dispatchers are always kind to him but they can't figure out if he calls because he can't remember the time or if he just finds comfort in knowing that someone is always there. You can tell by his voice that he is feeble. And he always says "thank you".
Usually, the dispatcher would firmly tell a caller like that not to use 911 for non- emergencies but they have all gotten attached to him. It will be sad when he stops calling.
Whenever we bring up a new cellular site we are required to confirm correct 911 connectivity. I politely tell them "This is a non-emergency call. I am a tech with (cellular company) calling to confirm a new site." During the buildout, when we were doing this every few days, some of the dispatchers got rather huffy. One day when there was a major emergency on, we were asked not to call again for a while, and we waited until the news announced the all-clear. Generally, everyone has been quite cooperative and friendly.
I have been a 911 dispatcher for the past 13 years. I have taken all these calls, more than once.
Last week I had a lady call that wanted the police to come and explain to her 12 year old son what her rights as a parent were.
I have also had people want the police to come and make their children do their homework and another woman who wanted the police to make her daughter get up and go to school.
Some people just need a mommy.