Re: 911:: Cell Phones and 911

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 01-01-16 01:11:54 EST, you write:

<<

This is a question for the Queen of CHP Dispatchers.

tell us how this new answering thing for Cell phone 911 calls

really is going to work. It was on the news tonight, but you know those

types. They sorta of scratched the surface. Sounds like a rather

unusual set up. Call 911, get a recording. Something like rate your

emergency 1 to 3 or something like that? Give us the scoop. I carry one

of those darn phones every time I leave the house{wife is handicapped,

Mom 97 YO, in a nursing home}. I jump a mile when the damn thing rings.

If I did have to call 911 on it would like to know what's what.

Vern >>

Hi Vern,

Ok, I'm living with it 40+ hours a week. It IS true 60% of the calls going

into Golden Gate of " inadvertent " 911s. We AVERAGE 3000 - 3500 incidents a

day -- at least half those incidents have at least 2 or 3 second calls on it

-- some have as much as 50 when we had the naked guy on the freeway so its

safe to say we average 5000 calls a day between 911, where's my car, do I

need chains, tow companies calling in as well as other allied agencies. I

personally average an incident/log every 1-1/2 - 2 minutes on a continuous

basis during my shift -- usually between 30-35 calls an hour.

What the pilot project is supposed to do is when a person calls in the

recording will prompt the caller twice to push any key on their key pad if

its a real 911. The theory is that the " inadvertent " (aka idiot -- my

personal perspective) calls will drop off. The problem is that most of them

are sitting on their phone (I'm not sure if its on vibrate or not), have it

on their belt and keep leaning into it or let their kid have it as their

favorite toy -- so they are hitting buttons the whole time and getting

through. I had a caller on hold for 10 minutes with a real emergency;

someone else had a caller wait for 12. They say during peak commute we're

going to see a difference and see more real calls. I did as many logs are

ever today -- even with that stupid camera stuck in my face during a call

with a very very distraught caller -- and as many unintentionals.

Golden Gate covering the 9 San Francisco Bay area counties is the only center

implementing the program.

I hope it works.....we'll see if it does

And.....these are my opinions and mine only -- I'm off work so I can think

what I want.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/16/01 1:06:14 AM Central Standard Time, gfwebpge@...

writes:

> Ok, I'm living with it 40+ hours a week. It IS true 60% of the calls going

> into Golden Gate of " inadvertent " 911s. We AVERAGE 3000 - 3500 incidents a

> day -- at least half those incidents have at least 2 or 3 second calls on

> it

> -- some have as much as 50 when we had the naked guy on the freeway so its

> safe to say we average 5000 calls a day between 911, where's my car, do I

> need chains, tow companies calling in as well as other allied agencies. I

> personally average an incident/log every 1-1/2 - 2 minutes on a continuous

> basis during my shift -- usually between 30-35 calls an hour.

>

OMG!! NO THANKS......I'LL JUST STAY HERE IN LIL OLD DALLAS COUNTY IN

IOWA......WE PROBABLY AVERAGE AROUND 10-15 TRIPS A NIGHT.. MY HEAD WOULD BE

SPINNING BY THE TIME I GOT OUTTA THERE..

KEEP THEM SAFE!

Dallas County Sheriffs Office

Adel, Iowa

jamicans@...

(these posts are my opinions and my opinions only)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/16/01 1:06:14 AM Central Standard Time, gfwebpge@...

writes:

> Ok, I'm living with it 40+ hours a week. It IS true 60% of the calls going

> into Golden Gate of " inadvertent " 911s. We AVERAGE 3000 - 3500 incidents a

> day -- at least half those incidents have at least 2 or 3 second calls on

> it

> -- some have as much as 50 when we had the naked guy on the freeway so its

> safe to say we average 5000 calls a day between 911, where's my car, do I

> need chains, tow companies calling in as well as other allied agencies. I

> personally average an incident/log every 1-1/2 - 2 minutes on a continuous

> basis during my shift -- usually between 30-35 calls an hour.

>

OMG!! NO THANKS......I'LL JUST STAY HERE IN LIL OLD DALLAS COUNTY IN

IOWA......WE PROBABLY AVERAGE AROUND 10-15 TRIPS A NIGHT.. MY HEAD WOULD BE

SPINNING BY THE TIME I GOT OUTTA THERE..

KEEP THEM SAFE!

Dallas County Sheriffs Office

Adel, Iowa

jamicans@...

(these posts are my opinions and my opinions only)

[Guest guest]

Thank you. That covers it quite well, but is there some priority the

caller gives if it is not a real 911, and if it is a " sitter call " what

happens then. Sounds like a odd way to go, but if it does work, and I

hope it will, it should take some of the load off the dispatchers. I

know what you mean about having calls on hold. The city I worked for was

bordered on two sides by freeways, 84 and 880 and transferring 911

calls(real emergency only) seemed like forever before some one answered.

We always rolled on them anyway but my guys just loved passing the paper

on to CHP.(;-)

Vern

gfwebpge@... wrote:

>

> In a message dated 01-01-16 01:11:54 EST, you write:

>

> tell us how this new answering thing for Cell phone 911 calls

> really is going to work. It was on the news tonight, but you know those

> types. They sorta of scratched the surface. Sounds like a rather

> unusual set up. Call 911, get a recording. Something like rate your

> emergency 1 to 3 or something like that?

> If I did have to call 911 on it would like to know what's what.

> Vern >>

>

> Hi Vern,

>

> Ok, I'm living with it 40+ hours a week. It IS true 60% of the calls going

> into Golden Gate of " inadvertent " 911s. We AVERAGE 3000 - 3500 incidents a

> day -- at least half those incidents have at least 2 or 3 second calls on it

> -- some have as much as 50 when we had the naked guy on the freeway so its

> safe to say we average 5000 calls a day between 911, where's my car, do I

> need chains, tow companies calling in as well as other allied agencies. I

> personally average an incident/log every 1-1/2 - 2 minutes on a continuous

> basis during my shift -- usually between 30-35 calls an hour.

>

> What the pilot project is supposed to do is when a person calls in the

> recording will prompt the caller twice to push any key on their key pad if

> its a real 911. The theory is that the " inadvertent " (aka idiot -- my

> personal perspective) calls will drop off. The problem is that most of them

> are sitting on their phone (I'm not sure if its on vibrate or not), have it

> on their belt and keep leaning into it or let their kid have it as their

> favorite toy -- so they are hitting buttons the whole time and getting

> through. I had a caller on hold for 10 minutes with a real emergency;

> someone else had a caller wait for 12. They say during peak commute we're

> going to see a difference and see more real calls. I did as many logs are

> ever today -- even with that stupid camera stuck in my face during a call

> with a very very distraught caller -- and as many unintentionals.

>

> Golden Gate covering the 9 San Francisco Bay area counties is the only center

> implementing the program.

>

> I hope it works.....we'll see if it does

>

> And.....these are my opinions and mine only -- I'm off work so I can think

> what I want.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Answering a few here

I was a little tired and punchy when I got home last night and may have been

a little cryptic.

wrote:

<< OMG!! NO THANKS......I'LL JUST STAY HERE IN LIL OLD DALLAS COUNTY IN

IOWA......WE PROBABLY AVERAGE AROUND 10-15 TRIPS A NIGHT.. MY HEAD WOULD BE

SPINNING BY THE TIME I GOT OUTTA THERE..>

We do handle a VERY high call volume. Last Friday night we had 3 people

logged on to 911's and between 7 - 8 p.m. we had 36 911's in cue. We dont'

know how many were unintentional -- but just seeing 36 911's sitting there

can be disheartening when you don't feel supported and getting written up for

really the slightest thing -- like a missed type code for something really

not major when you have also answered 10 other calls in 15 minutes. Its one

thing to have a caller yelling and going off on you -- they are having a

crisis or a bigger problem than anyone around me is having and when you've

got your own peers (or peer in our case) blasting you for something totally

irrelevant it just gets really hard to not say " See ya " and walk out the

door. So by time I get to " my " Friday, which was last night, I'm usually

pretty tired.

Not a lot of people want to or really CAN put up with the volume we do on my

shift. One person came off graves where they would tell me weekly they had

read one, two, sometimes 3 books on his shift, got all his holiday cards

written, etc.,etc. and on to my shift. This person started my shift Friday

and worked Friday and Saturday, left early Sunday because he felt sick and

called in sick yesterday ...... and I got a slew of emails from them ...... I

guess they were feeling better.

Vern wrote:

<That covers it quite well, but is there some priority thecaller gives if it

is not a real 911, >

Yes, it DOES give them some priority and that's wonderful.

<and if it is a " sitter call " what happens then. >

They get through, we hear sounds, personal conversations, etc., call them

back and get a " no I didn't dial it " and a wide array of emotion around it.

I try to educate them about why its happening and what they can do about it

-- some get it some don't -- you know, different people have different takes

on things.

That's what its going to take though -- education...... and not just on the

news. Seriously, it needs to be on Barney (is that still on?), MTV, maybe a

character in a TV show needs to have their cell phone activate 911 over and

over and get nasty about it not being an emergency and then have them REALLY

need to call 911 and not get through because of all the hang ups. That kind

of reality in a TV show that more people probably watch than the news I think

would have more impact.

And..... if someone is REALLY nasty about no they didn't I calmly explain

" well, I guess it dosen't bother you much then that you are getting a charge

on your cell phone bill everytime we have to call you back " ......hitting

people in the pocket seems to make an impact.

<I hope it will, it should take some of the load off the dispatchers. >

We hope it does.......we don't know how many REAL 911's just give up and make

their own arrangements because of the wait......As I mentioned, I had the

same number of incidents yesterday ( a holiday) as I do on a " normal " day --

I just handled a few more " real " emergencies -- not that many more, but a few

more.

<,I know what you mean about having calls on hold. The city I worked for was

bordered on two sides by freeways, 84 and 880 and transferring 911

calls(real emergency only) seemed like forever before some one answered.>

THAT problem has sorta been dealt with previously -- allied agencies are drop

lines that take priority even over 911's. The problem is that a bunch of

them gave out the drop number and CONTINUE to give it out as a number to

reach us instead of the lower priority public line. Almost ALL of our 'where

is my car, I think it was towed' calls come from allied agencies dropping

them into our 911 .... or even what is SUPPOSED to be the pursuit line.

And on another note -- I was going to answer this one anyway from my personal

perspective, but since I'm writing a book here..... posted an article

about GGCC (Golden Gate Comm Center) that I for one, and heard from other

people were VERY upset about.

<Union Says 9-1-1 Calls to CHP Unanswered>

The Union didn't say it -- the president of our chapter said it and as far as

I know didn't talk to any of us who she supposedly represents about how we

felt before she did it.

<without adding my editorial comment. (Yes, Ido have responses of my own, but

I'm just going to let this fly and seewhat comes my way....)>

I'm waiting for 's comments.

<Hundreds of 9-1-1 calls made from cellular phones throughout the Bay Area

earlier this month didn't reach emergency response officials after fumes

sickened workers at the California Highway Patrol dispatch center in

Vallejo, a union leader asserted yesterday.>

I was in an area office -- that office got as many calls as we usually get

for that area on a normal day -- they came from Sacramento and Ukiah -- I

didn't talk to anyone from Monterey so I don't know if our area was routed

there or not......although yesterday I had a cell skip call from Bakersfield

so you never know.

<divert calls to other centers resulted in wireless callers getting busy

signals>

Busy signals have NOTHING to do with the center.....busy signals come from

the fct that the cell site is busy -- the person isn't even getting their

cell phone to connect with its site.....has nothing to do with us.

< or no answer, >

We hear a lot of that even without an evacuation " how many times did the

phone ring " " oh at least 5 " ......mmmmm

<Helmick said the CHP's contingency plan that routed calls to CHP centers in

Monterey, Sacramento, Ukiah and Stockton was handled professionally and

with few problems.>

I have to agree with him -- those of us who were able to work went on 12 hour

shifts -- I did it with 6 hours in between coming off one shift and going to

the next -- and at least where I was we were up to speed without a glitch.

Yes, we/I had to walk into a building I'd never been in before, get up to

speed on the MIS, learn a weird kinda radio in case the radio person I was

with needed help, get a slew of cards set up, set up for a possible pursuit

so I could slide right in to back her up, learn a bunch of new faces and

names, where the fax and photo copy was, notify the allied agencies we were

there and could we call them if we needed help with something and sit down

and go to work without one citizen knowning (except for the news) that we

weren't in our usual place. We had several people leave GGCC and go to

Sacramento and in place ready to go even BEFORE the final decision to

evacuate was made.

And when we went back we were running before anyone knew we even left -- the

ENTIRE center was reconstructed 8 hours....I looked at the clock when it

started and when it was done and it was jsut about 8 hours and the ENTIRE

center was reconstructed on another floor. No, we don't have our new

ergonomic furniture, some of it is makeshift -- but it happened without one

citizen saying " what's that noise in the background " or anyone .....except

the guy who thought it was Y2K when our system went down for an unrelated

reason really knowing it was happening

We're talking what was to me an amazing feat -- and it took every person

there to make it happen.

Gee, I haven't seen any of THAT in the media.

< " It is important to note that this event occurred nine days ago, and there

has not been a single complaint from the public regarding lack of response

to their calls, " Helmick said in a statement.>

And their hasn't been.....if anything has been said to me its " are you back

where you usually are? " End of discussion when I say yes.

<Workers said callers that were rerouted to dispatch centers in Monterey and

Sacramento got a busy signal, heard continuous ringing, or were connected

to a recording, forcing some to give up, Hodson said.>

I never said it, I didn't hear anyone else say it .....I explained about the

busy signal.....and it seems EVERYONE gets the recording no matter where we

are.

<Workers have complained about conditions at the building since moving there

nearly 10 years ago.>

That's true

<Several businesses in the area also reported the mysterious smell. The

building is located within a mile of active oil refineries and chemical

plants. >

Next door is a cemetary.....hmmmmmmmmmm Ok, across the street is a school,

they were on winter recess.

<CHP Lt. Jim Cahoon, >

He's a Captain thank you very much and a wonderful amazing person who I think

its safe to say we all respect and we admired even before this. And he was

with us EVERY step of the way -- sitting down with us and I have to wonder if

he even went home the first few days.

Ok, The End

[Guest guest]

they have a similiar system set up here on the East Coast, and unfortunately,

most people in this area don't understand the real concept of a REAL

emergency. they dont want to wait, so they are hitting the buttons anyway.

We have had everything from " i'm new in town, and I need to know where the

best place is to order pizza " to a woman complaining in the Mc's

parking lot that they didnt give her enough french fries, and instead of

going in to talk to the manager, wanted an officer to meet her in the lot,

since she was " a few fries short in her happy meal "

hopefully, it will work for you out there,

I have found that without Public Relations, and teaching the public the TRUE

meaning of the word EMERGENCY,

we dont stand a chance. and an idea that both my husband and I, ( both

dispatchers) have come up with is, along with teaching children the

importance of FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, ( we incorporate the importance of using

911 the proper way, and teach them the non-emergency number also)

is to set up booths at local gatherings, festivals, fairs, etc,

as well as ones in malls, and teach people the importance of getting the

public educated.

I have found that most people are just too lazy to learn the non-emergency

number.

and most of the public has the idea that ifthey are calling, then, to THEM,

they have an emergency.

we need to train the public, as well as make things easier for ourselves,

because without the training,

we might as well face the facts that we are still going to get calls that the

electric is out, and they want US to call the electric co., for them, since

they cant see to dial the number.

I wish you all the luck with the new concept.

[Guest guest]

they have a similiar system set up here on the East Coast, and unfortunately,

most people in this area don't understand the real concept of a REAL

emergency. they dont want to wait, so they are hitting the buttons anyway.

We have had everything from " i'm new in town, and I need to know where the

best place is to order pizza " to a woman complaining in the Mc's

parking lot that they didnt give her enough french fries, and instead of

going in to talk to the manager, wanted an officer to meet her in the lot,

since she was " a few fries short in her happy meal "

hopefully, it will work for you out there,

I have found that without Public Relations, and teaching the public the TRUE

meaning of the word EMERGENCY,

we dont stand a chance. and an idea that both my husband and I, ( both

dispatchers) have come up with is, along with teaching children the

importance of FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, ( we incorporate the importance of using

911 the proper way, and teach them the non-emergency number also)

is to set up booths at local gatherings, festivals, fairs, etc,

as well as ones in malls, and teach people the importance of getting the

public educated.

I have found that most people are just too lazy to learn the non-emergency

number.

and most of the public has the idea that ifthey are calling, then, to THEM,

they have an emergency.

we need to train the public, as well as make things easier for ourselves,

because without the training,

we might as well face the facts that we are still going to get calls that the

electric is out, and they want US to call the electric co., for them, since

they cant see to dial the number.

I wish you all the luck with the new concept.

[Guest guest]

A friend of mine who is a dispatcher was called last week by one woman who

wanted an ambulance sent becasue her daughter had a toothache. This a county

of all volunteer rescue squads. If he had sent one out and there was an

actuall emergency then he would have no one to send. Yes, he did tell her

exactly that. She had admitted their was someone else there with a vehicle

and she could get them to take her.

The same week another women wanted an ambulance to take her to the hospital

because she found a lump on her breast.

I believe educating the public is very important.

Tammy

[Guest guest]

" Train the public " , how many times have we heard this. We had a

" Misuse " button on the ani/ali box which we used frequently for non

emergency calls on 911. It gave out a " Milk-Toast " explanation of 911. I

felt that should have been much stronger, up to and including a threat

of police action if continued. Our DARE program taught, at local grade

schools, the proper use of 911. Dispatch could always tell when a class

had been taught, at least 30% of the class would race home to try out

911, just to see if it really worked. I am afraid it is something

dispatchers are going to have to live with as long as they do the job.

Here in Calif. we are having a severe shortage of electric power.

Rolling Black Outs have been threatened, that is when the power company

will turn off the power in a neighborhood for 60-90 minutes, moving on

to the next area and so on. LET THE CALLS BEGIN! You know they will, and

there will be those who will say, " Whassssssss going on? I never heard

nutting bout no black outs. Tellem to turn it back on!!.......Days like

those I'm almost glad I retired. Y'all have fun, you hear.

Vern

Retired

Newark,CA

PD/FD

> we need to train the public, as well as make things easier for ourselves,

> because without the training,

> we might as well face the facts that we are still going to get calls that the

> electric is out, and they want US to call the electric co., for them, since

> they cant see to dial the number.

>

[Guest guest]

> A friend of mine who is a dispatcher was called last week by one woman who

> wanted an ambulance sent becasue her daughter had a toothache. This a county

> of all volunteer rescue squads. If he had sent one out and there was an

> actuall emergency then he would have no one to send. Yes, he did tell her

> exactly that. She had admitted their was someone else there with a vehicle

> and she could get them to take her.

> The same week another women wanted an ambulance to take her to the hospital

> because she found a lump on her breast.

> I believe educating the public is very important.

> Tammy

> ********************************************************************

Some years ago during a particularly nasty winter storm, a woman

called to say she was having a baby and didn't know if she could

drive herself to the hospital. Hubby was away on biz. State DOT

snowplow and an ambulance were sent 15 miles to her home.

When she got to the hospital, she told the hospital personel that

she wasn't actually in labor but didn't want to wait until she was to

get to the hospital.

She paid for the ambulance ride, and was billed by the State of

Iowa for the DOT plow and the worker's time too. She took the

state to court saying it was their job. Court decision: yes it is their

job but it isn't their job to wait on you at your call. Her bill was

about $2k.

Iowa State Patrol Communications Cedar Rapids

Werling, Anamosa, IA AOL IM Ridgeroader

mailto:scott@...

http://www.jonescountytourism.com

http://www.ia.net/~anachamb/pumpkin.html

http://www.thehungersite.com (feed someone)

http://www.earthsat.com/iowa/winter.html Iowa road conditions

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 01-01-17 11:57:52 EST, you write:

<< o a woman complaining in the Mc's

parking lot that they didnt give her enough french fries, and instead of

going in to talk to the manager, wanted an officer to meet her in the lot,

since she was " a few fries short in her happy meal "

>>

I had a woman recently who had a question -- just a routine question -- she

dialed 911 from her cell phone because its free and she " knew " she'd get

transferred to the local police department.....when I asked her why she

didn't call from her landline phone she explained she was still in bed not

ready to get up and thought this was more convenient. I explained

California's law ..... 653m --- a misdemeanor for inappropriate use and that

I believed there WAS a heafty fine for misuse of 911.....she hung up.

[Guest guest]

oh, I WISH we could do something like that,

although, believe it or not, I don't think they enforce any such laws here on

the East Coast for something like this,

what a great comeback

[Guest guest]

oh, I WISH we could do something like that,

although, believe it or not, I don't think they enforce any such laws here on

the East Coast for something like this,

what a great comeback

[Guest guest]

<< State DOT snowplow and an ambulance were sent 15 miles to her home.

When she got to the hospital, she told the hospital personel that she

wasn't actually in labor but didn't want to wait until she was to get to the

hospital. >>

Excellent example of misuse of services. And how would she feel if she found

out that someone 'really' needed those units and her 'false call' played a

part in someone's death or something life threatening? Interesting to find

out, huh. At least she had to foot the bill

..

Toni Wyman, (CTO)...Gwinnett County Police, GA (just N of HotLanta)

770 Hi Hope Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

(These are only my opinions, not my agency's, after all they are the

government and they have opinions of their own)

For liability reasons my posts and opinions are to be reprinted with my

permission only. ALSO any solicitation of business with my agency should

come through me if you have my name from this list. NO outside solicitors

may contact anyone other than myself.

Email to: E911GAL136@...

[Guest guest]

Tammy wrote:

<< She had admitted their was someone else there with a vehicle

and she could get them to take her.

The same week another women wanted an ambulance to take her to the hospital

because she found a lump on her breast.

I believe educating the public is very important. >>

That whole education thing hit home again yesterday when one of the bridges

in the area was closed again because of an accident. Some of the officers

have learned that the best way to get medical aid to the scene and everything

else they and the victims need is to just close the thing for a bit. Well

one rude, obnoxious jerk called cussing like crazy about was the bridge

closed for the night -- I noticed it was a 911 line and we were, as usual,

backed up on 911 calls so I told him that calling about road closures is NOT

an appropriate use of 911 and to dial 411 and get the public number. He

yelled at me that the public number wasn't working. Hmmmm, so how come I'd

been getting calls on that line.....not that a citizen would stretch the

truth. I repeated again that 911 is for life and death emergencies and unless

he was reporting a life and death emergency he needed use the public line --

especially about a road closure. He then told me he'd been waiting on hold

for 911 to answer and he heard the recording and he didnt' care -- he wanted

to know and know NOW what was going on. He could have cared less that there

were signs lit about what was going on, that the news was putting it out,

that you could see the rescue vehicles and that there was a life flight

landing. Just be thankful YOU aren't the one getting on that helicopter.

This guy had the education and it didn't matter.

Vern wrote:

<It gave out a " Milk-Toast " explanation of 911. >

Ours too

<Ifelt that should have been much stronger, up to and including a threatof

police action if continued. >

I agree totally -- people either don't know its a misdemeanor if we can catch

them or don't care.

<Here in Calif. we are having a severe shortage of electric power. >

Now here's a big of potential good news about that......cell sites run

off......electric power!!!!!!!!! (or so says the news) so if THEY go

down!!!!!! NO cell calls!

<...Days likethose I'm almost glad I retired. Y'all have fun, you hear.>

Anytime that " almost " becomes " hmmm part time looks good " I'm sure you'd be

taken up on it.