Question about dialling Nine Nine Nine (999)

[SupraSteve 10]

I've called the ambulance service at least 7~8 times and the police just a couple of times I think; genuine emergency assistance required every time of course. The people you speak to (operator and required service) are always very clear, helpful and efficient - which of course is essential.

 

I don't think I've ever needed to call the fire brigade, thankfully.

 

...I'm stumped and very curious...

Yeah me too!

[BoroughGal 10]

Precisely. You ring them and the 999 operator tells the Fire/Police/Ambulance operator who you are and where you're calling from!!! Meanwhile, the fire's burning, the car's being nicked, or someone's dying while they do it. What IS that about??

 

Probably because, in the event of the call being cut off, or the person ringing being unable to talk for one reason or another, at least they have a telephone number to work back from, to either call the person back or to trace the call. It's the most basic of information needed, along with a location - not someone telling you what's happened.

[upinwath 10]

Poor Bugger

 

Very true. I didn't mention the old guy was an epileptic and was confused both sides of a fit.

He had a disc that I found and gave to the medics but this was ignored at the hospital that dumped him in a taxi and sent him home.

To make it worse the copper said that the lorry driver was in a rare state having killed a bloke even given that there was no way to avoid the accident.

 

2 victims of a hospital's mistake.

[redrobbo 10]

I feel I should know the answer to this, but I'm stumped and very curious....

 

Me too! Come on then Kristian, tell us why you a serial 999 ringer!

[Guest Pauly]

Called 999 last week after witnessing a smash in Wincobank. Ambulance for the poor fella trapped in his car. Very professional, had good first aid advice over the phone from the operator who also called the ambulance, police and 2 fire engines to the scene.

 

Arrived quickly and dealt with professionally.

[Whatif wewin 10]

Don't know what the odds of calling are, i had to call 999 couple of montsh ago, few kids broke into my car and nicked my workbag, which had money in. I had only left car for 2 mins, so called 999, got police searching local park within minutes, they found my bag and some of contents, whcih they took some finger prints and found the kid who did it

I have called the 999 service about 7 times, over 25 years. I would not have called it for a break in though as I would not have considered it an emergency. You did OK though with such a good result.

[redrobbo 10]

I've rung 999 quite a number of times for the police, and a few times for the ambulance service. Always had an excellent response from the operator, and only once had cause to complain. My father collapsed at his home, vomiting blood. The ambulance went to the wrong address (no. 10 instead of no. 100). But because I'd given the number I was ringing from (a neighbour's house) - the ambulance service quickly got back to me to check the correct address. This incident underlines the point made by BoroughGal.

[Kristian 11]

Okay, not to keep you in suspense any longer, I'll spill the beans.

 

I used to manage an out-of-hours GP service, and occasionally helped out taking calls when things got busy. The amount of people that call their GP when their husband / wife / friend has keeled over / is having a heart attack / is choking to death is astonishing.

 

Every so often it hits the press that the 999 service is flooded with calls from people who have a wasp in their bedroom, can't work out how to use the microwave etc. This really wasn't my experience. We had hundreds of calls a week where people were in need of urgent medical attention and someone rang their GP.

 

The astonishment you would get from some people when you told them that you were going to call 999 for them was tremendous. I remember one woman telling me that she didn't want to be any trouble - yet she couldn't tell whether her husband was breathing or not.

[BoroughGal 10]

Okay, not to keep you in suspense any longer, I'll spill the beans.

 

I used to manage an out-of-hours GP service, and occasionally helped out taking calls when things got busy. The amount of people that call their GP when their husband / wife / friend has keeled over / is having a heart attack / is choking to death is astonishing.

 

Every so often it hits the press that the 999 service is flooded with calls from people who have a wasp in their bedroom, can't work out how to use the microwave etc. This really wasn't my experience. We had hundreds of calls a week where people were in need of urgent medical attention and someone rang their GP.

 

The astonishment you would get from some people when you told them that you were going to call 999 for them was tremendous. I remember one woman telling me that she didn't want to be any trouble - yet she couldn't tell whether her husband was breathing or not.

 

Oh yeah, I already knew all that!

[Andy_28 10]

Once.

Out side my house last year (near Bramall Lane) there was a group of youths. They were all loud annoying thugs but there was one girl there they were beating up, but she wouldnt leave, they were making her get on her knees then kicking her in the head.

 

At first I thought it was normal bullying (who hasn't gone through this, I have) but after a few minutes where she had ample chance to run away and didn't I called the police.

 

Apart from taking minutes to get through as I was informed that I was calling from a mobile (really?) and that my details were recorded etc I got through to someone, very calm and good to talk to, within 7 minutes a riot can turned up and the lot ran.

 

Thank god they did, two of the girls were threatening to get out a knife and stab her, well at this point I put shoes on and grabbed a steel bar and was ready to go outside at the first sight of a blade, thank god I didn't have to, you know would have gone to jail if I stuck up for the girl

[SupraSteve 10]

The astonishment you would get from some people when you told them that you were going to call 999 for them was tremendous. I remember one woman telling me that she didn't want to be any trouble - yet she couldn't tell whether her husband was breathing or not.

What can you do eh, lol.

[summer1955 10]

i phoned 999 once when my son had badly cut his hand and there was a lot of blood and i was in a panic, hubby was out he would have been better prepared and handled it better. all i was doing was saying to operator ask ambulance to hurry up thers a lot of blood and hes feeling dizzy in a panic voice.

 

once someone outside a house i lived at was getting beaten up and i dialed 999 also when my hubby and i were getting attacked by our neighbours.