skinz1972 Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 why would it be a prank if a 5 yr old calls 9-11? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Do you really have to investigate them all? No exceptions? Show me a code for dispatcher's, a set of regulations, I am totally prepared to say I am wrong if this person was acting against the rules. Because outside of that, you are criticizing her judgement call, that unless you can give me the phone records that show the boy's tone and exact words, as well as hers, would be a little premature to criticize, would you not say? As I said, take a deep breath and freaking wait for the facts to pile up. You are correct that an internal investigation must first take place. You are also correct to assume we don't have all the facts. If the facts as stated are basically accurate, the internal investigation will likely result in the dispatcher being terminated. The case would then likely be sent to the DA's office to determine whether or not a criminal statute was violated. I literally had to respond to a call in which a woman was complaining about dirt on her front porch. She claimed the neighbor's kids put it there because they didn't like her. I responded to another call (which was sad actually) of a woman who ended up being diagnosed with severe OCD. But when the call came out, she had reported that "one of the 40 bottles of pine sol in her closet had been turned sideways. (Since the OCD was so severe, all of the bottles had the labels pointing the same direction in perfect rows. When one was turned slightly, she thought someone had been in her apartment.) Now, who would think a cop would respond to a complaint of a "moved bottle of pine sol." No one. But the complaint ended up in her going to the hospital and subsequently receiving treatment for OCD. The bottom line is that the dispatcher is in no position, whatsoever, to make the call as to what's legit or not. I have a lot of respect for dispatchers. They've helped save my ass more than once. However, in this case with the facts as we know them, this is a HUGE error. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stigmata Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 why would it be a prank if a 5 yr old calls 9-11? Thats exactly what i was thinking, its not something a 5 year old would do for fun. i agree that its something you teach your kids for emergency, so just on that alone if a 5 year old calls 911 they should have acted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinking Skins Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 All I'll say is that there are some situations where 3 hours would have been record timing for a cop to arrive. There was a fire in my apartment building the other day, and the alarms were going off, the building was evacuated, we called 911 and nobody showed up - EVER. Not the police, not the fire department, not the apartment security, not even a tow truck who normally comes to make a buck or two. I have a lot of friends with similar stories. There are certain neighborhoods that have 'priority' and there are others that just don't. This call is just a microcosim of whats going on in America everyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistymjohnson Posted April 9, 2006 Author Share Posted April 9, 2006 The mother is gone... Nothing anyone can do to bring her back... And I am not saying death (or even herpes) to the dispatcher... yet. But let them find out the mother could have been saved, and then I will wish upon her swift and accurate justice! However, for causing undue stress to this child in a situation that was already so stressful... She should lose her job at the very least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Teaching my kids to use 911 it would suck to be laying there and have you child come back and say: She told me to stop playing on the phone... As the last thing you ever hear.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 I guess the union has to defend her legally because she's a part of that union, but as the story reads this is pretty indefensible. What a totally unprofessional and wrong thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstahl Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 This is why some lawsuits are a good thing (the county and operator are going to be right in the cross hairs). Hate lawsuits in general and hate that this happened, but it will definitely make everyone think twice before dismissing 911 calls. The scars this child will bear will likely be pretty big (could have have said something different, should I have gone to the neighbors instead, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistymjohnson Posted April 9, 2006 Author Share Posted April 9, 2006 Teaching my kids to use 911 it would suck to be laying there and have you child come back and say:She told me to stop playing on the phone... As the last thing you ever hear.. EXACTLY! And imagine just for one moment if you will... If this young boy has a sharp memory, and is unable to dissociate the dismissal a trained professional subjected him to in the midst of a very traumatic moment; he may undergo an enormous amount of emotional annoyance throughout his childhood, and possibly even life. Don’t get me wrong, I am of the same mindset that waking up is in itself a dangerous action considering the world we live in today. However, this woman was (or may even still be) considered a trained professional. Unfortunately, she did not act in like manner. What is it that we tell our children? With bad choices come bad consequences! She made a bad choice and should not be immune to the consequences of that choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Doh, that did it... but just ask him if its true and that you have to investigate everything. For my honor! Our fire department rolls out for EVERY call...even the ones we know are false. For example, over the last couple of months we had pranksters pulling alarm boxes at one of the local housing projects. They pulled the alarm 17 times over a two week period. All 17 times we rolled out 2 engines, the ladder truck, the rescue squad, the haz-mat vehicle and an ambulance. Even if you accidentally set off the automatic smoke alarm in your home (say it's too close to the shower and steam sets it off...)...when ADT calls you, you tell them it's a falso alarm. Everyone is okay. We're still coming in full force until a unit arrives on scene and confirms the status...everytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makaveli Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Attorney believes she would have lived.... http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060409/NEWS11/60409001/1013/RSS07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 It's not a surprise that the family's civil attorney is saying she would have lived. It helps in the court of public opinion. If he can get a credible witness (doctor, etc) to testify to the same during a civil trial, it could certainly increase the amount of damages the family receives -- provided they win. That being said, this case is the FARTHEST thing from a frivolous lawsuit. This is what our civil system is supposed to be used for. Like I said earlier though, the issue is not whether the boy's mother would have lived. The issue is that the authorities failed to act. If the facts as we know them are complete and accurate (I know, fat chance) this is a slam-dunk. God bless that little boy and his family. This thread breaks my heart every time I open it, but I just can't let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANTAYLOR21 Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 I want to do this for my debate topic but dont really know what to say about it to make it a debate. Like what should be the punishment for the operator or something i dont know, but this story has to be told. Very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEANTAYLOR21 Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Apparently the kid and the attorney were on the today show. I wish i could have seen it to see how she thought it would be a prank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSJHWT Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12208992/ That link has a video in which you can hear his 911 call -- His first words "My mom has passed out", so what does the operator ask? Let me talk to her. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistymjohnson Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 His first words "My mom has passed out", so what does the operator ask? Let me talk to her. :doh: *sighs* And she is still working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slateman Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Ugh, that is just . . . terrible. I mean, how . . . why . . . ugh, words escape me. The only defense I can think of is that she might have thought it was a prank. I mean, there are a substantial number of prank calls that come into 911. But still . . . I mean, the first words . . . and he's five . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheers, Beers and Mountaineers Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 although there are jackasses that do call in pranks to 911, the operator should never assume the calls are pranks, unless it is very obvious (laughing etc etc) especially for this one particular case. so regardless of how the operator felt on the legitimacy of this one call, she should have responded immediatley with the appropriate actions. the kid did the absolute right thing and sounded genuine over the phone from the recordings, so it is beyond me on how the operator felt it was a prank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winslowalrob Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 I stand corrected then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enter Apotheosis Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 i have 2 kids, so i know how bad this would suck for the kid especially....is it wrong to wish death on the operator? or maybe herpes......herpes are forever:mad: I second that motion. I'd love to see a judge sentence her to "life with herpes" for completely dismissing a 5 year old's plea for help. I mean, obviously as a dispatcher you have to put up with a lot of bull on the job... but why would you dismiss something that is not entirely unlikely? This is one of the worst judgement calls I have heard of... and even then, these people aren't really in the position to MAKE judgement calls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheREALJBird Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Unbelievable...I just don't know what to say.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskinslovergrl Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 When I heard this story I was completely outraged!!!!! As other posters have said, we teach our children to do what is right and hopefully give them the strength to stay calm in a time like this and someone like this B**** doesn"t help him!!!!! I certainly hope she no longer has a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can't belive it. Years ago, my husband and I had a fight because he was very sick or hurt at the time, I can't recall for sure, and he didn't want to go to the emergency room or let me take him to the hospital myself. He kept refusing to go so I thought by telling him that I was going to call 9-1-1, that he would say ok, I'll go. So I picked up the phone and I accidently dialed all of the numbers and about that time he said he would go, so I hung up the phone. Wouldn't you know it, a police officer showed up at our door over a HANG-UP to see if everything was alright!!!!!!! Needless to say my husband went to the emergency room that night. So after my long story, I guess I'm just trying to say that it is an awful shame that the poor child called not once but TWICE and she still didn't believe him. I'm not the suing kind but I sure hope that her family sues whomever they feel was ultimately responsible for what happened. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sith lord Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 And I can't believe that the operater's boss went on air and defended her, saying that she could have recieved 5 prank calls before that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redskinslovergrl Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Watching Fox News and I just heard that they are basically not going to do anything to her because of her many years of service!!! I can't believe it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistymjohnson Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 Watching Fox News and I just heard that they are basically not going to do anything to her because of her many years of service!!! I can't believe it!!! If I were a taxpayer in that area... I would be outraged! (Considering most 911 dispatchers obtain their salary from the taxpayer) I'm just flabbergasted at the lack of support for the family. Listen, the woman made a mistake (fine... can't change it), but at least have the decency to admit your wrongdoing so that the family may have a bit of peace over the situation. It just makes me so upset to see that people are willing to wrong others, and not take responsibility for their actions. Isn't that what we teach our kids... to take responsibility? Come on... What kind of message is this sending? This is just absurd!!! And you know what is screwed up about it even more so... The union representing her are probably the one's telling her to keep her defense in hopes that they won't have to reach into their pockets. GRRR...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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