44 replies to this topic

[Killicksparker]

It was the emergency callout every paramedic dreads – a child in danger. As they raced to a house where a five-year-old had gone into cardiac arrest, they feared for the worst ... until they arrived to discover the youngster was actually a cat.

A fast-response car and an ambulance were scrambled at 6.45am after a desperate couple dialled 999 and pleaded with the emergency operator to revive their 'five-year-old'. But when the teams arrived at the home in Ware, Hertfordshire, they found a tearful couple clutching their five year-old pet, which later died.

An ambulance spokesman said the call could have meant the difference between life and death for a genuine patient.

One paramedic said: 'The 999 situation that raises the adrenaline the most is probably being called to a seriously ill child. It's human nature. 'Fast-response cars and ambulances will be driven at the maximum speed for safety to the scene and paramedics will be mentally prepared to offer their immediate professional assistance. You'd certainly be pumped up by it. The paramedics were probably relieved it wasn't a child to start with and then they were absolutely gobsmacked.' 'It was a surreal situation. I've gone to some silly calls, but nothing like this. I can't understand why they didn't try to call a vet. Some people think 999 covers everything.

The bizarre 999 call was received by East of England Ambulance Service on August 10 from a foreign couple. The paramedic said they had been in the country a short time only and may have been confused, adding: 'We get a lot of callers with language barriers. 'We have a translation line we can use but you haven't got time to do that in a potentially critical situation.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz1VSKCjfXu

Edited by DanielS, 17 June 2012 - 11:15 PM.
Change of font and size for easier reading

[Han Solo]

I still get surprised by the number of calls like this that go through the 999 system.

A penalty should be put in place for prank calling, especially if a RRV and ambulance are deployed which could be used in the race to save someones life.

A national advert campaign by the government could be launched, to educate people what 999 is really for, and the consequences of what could happen by tying up vital resources.

This needs to stop before someone loses a battle they could of win with urgent medical assistance.

[DeltaFoxtrot]

Prank callers should have some sort of sentencing......

calling out the Police, Ambulance or Fire Engine just for a laugh is plain wrong as these might be needed elsewhere to save lives.

[Gavin]

Having worked in the control room for a couple of days a little while ago I was amazed at the amount of 9's calls we get that just shouldn't be 9's calls, someone reporting a lost mobile phone being one of them. I think we should give them one chance and if they do it again it should be an automatic fine.

[GreenGerkin]

Prank callers should have some sort of sentencing......

calling out the Police, Ambulance or Fire Engine just for a laugh is plain wrong as these might be needed elsewhere to save lives.

Yep
People don't seem to realise the consequences.
TVP had a nasty Polac on Thursday as a result of them racing to a call which turned out to be a hoax: http://www.newburyto...articleID=17623

[AnthonyB]

Confused my backside!

Name me one country with a public emergency ambulance service that as default is also a veterinary service!

I think the fact that a vet costs them money may have been more to do with it.....

[mwe99]

They'll never threat with a fine or ban (at least not yet) them purely on the basis of if this is advertised it could dissuade some people calling.


Some old people fall out of bed at say 10pm, and won't call an ambulance til 06am as they think we're "busy, other emergencies" to go to so unfortunately as annoying as it is we still have to go :/

[rower]

Should it be a case of an alternate 999 number for "half emergencies", or where the person doesn't genuinely know if it's an emergency, but where the operator can upgrade it to an emergency if needed? Like someone falling down and breaking their leg in the middle of nowhere - up to the person to get to the A&E and not call an ambulance, or an elderly person doing the same, would they warrant a 999 rather than a more able person?
I know there are non-emergency numbers like 101 or NHS Direct, but what if they take time to answer? I don't know of a non-emergency number for the fire service in case you were to find something untoward, but not urgent, like a lit flare on the ground.

[AnthonyB]

NHS Re-direct are as responsible for as many unnecessary 999 ambulance responses as the public sometimes.......

A non emergemcy ambulance number is all very well, but the irresponsible people will still by pass it & go straight to 999

[gsdk9]

We have a charge for that, "misuse of the 911system".

[Medic2]

for the person who voted no can you explain why? I am just curious why you think they shouldnt? (i am not going to start a rang but just like to know your reason)

[ataylor0]

Yes, of course they should!
Its a no-brainer..

[mwe99]

Even tho I agree they should because I work for them and see the stuff we go to. As soon as you publisise that you'll start fining/prosecuting it will deter the wrong sort of people calling. We already go to 80 year old people who've had chest pain for hours cos they didn't want to disturb us, or people who fell on the floor at 10pm but thought we were closed til 7am so stayed there. It's tricky, although I agree, it could never happen without detering certain social groups from calling us. It's a catch-22 type thing

for the person who voted no can you explain why? I am just curious why you think they shouldnt? (i am not going to start a rang but just like to know your reason)

[samt]

111 is being introduced as an alternative for non-(health)emergencies.

[Damsel]

111 is being introduced as an alternative for non-(health)emergencies.

In fairness, that's not a national thing, yet. It's undergoing trials in certain areas. Luton, County Durham & Lincolnshire if I remember rightly.

Everyone else should (for non emergencies) call NHS Direct on 0845 4647

[pathca]

NHS Re-direct are as responsible for as many unnecessary 999 ambulance responses as the public sometimes.......

A non emergemcy ambulance number is all very well, but the irresponsible people will still by pass it & go straight to 999

Sorry -1 that meant to plus it, bleddy touch screen phones
Totally agree about NHS direct ,they are so worried about getting it wrong it goes the other way

[rower]

Sorry -1 that meant to plus it, bleddy touch screen phones
Totally agree about NHS direct ,they are so worried about getting it wrong it goes the other way

A member of my family had that issue with Serco, unfortunately they didn't advise the use of 999, or anything else medical related other than to wait for a doctor's appointment on Monday.

I had an issue at work out of hours with workmen in who were soldering up a water pipe, and set the alarm off. Duly advised them to vacate as soon as possible as they were holding up a radiator to fix, and we waited, and waited for the fire service as we had an automatic alarm, but no-one turned up. I had the number for fire control so I called them and explained the problem, and was told that the alarm monitoring company had rang and told them not to attend as they'd send someone to have a look. I got told to ring 999 to send an appliance, but the chap then said he'd speak to the station (luckily 50 yards from the control room) and they turned up a few minutes later.
20 minutes later the alarm chap turned up having a go at me for being there, so I reported him on the Monday for his way of dealing with an alarm activation.

Had I known i had to ring 999 then I would have done, but as I was unsure I rang control instead, worried that I might have been using valuable resources when I didn't need to worry.

[Juliet Sierra]

The emergency workers act deals with obstruction this should be expanded to deal with wasting their time also.


js

[Prolixia]

I know there are non-emergency numbers like 101 or NHS Direct, but what if they take time to answer? I don't know of a non-emergency number for the fire service in case you were to find something untoward, but not urgent, like a lit flare on the ground.

If you're calling NHS Direct or 101 about something that is so incredibly urgent that it literally can't wait a minute or so to get through to someone then you have the wrong number. It's an emergency and you should be dialing 999. If it's not that urgent, then you just have to wait - it means that other people with potentially more urgent problems are being spoken to first.

101 is, as far as I know, handled by the same operators who take 999 calls. 101 calls are simply deprioritised, with any extra capacity directed to them after all the 999 calls have been answered. Therefore the time it takes to get through will depend on the number of people calling 999.

Edited by Prolixia, 04 November 2011 - 03:01 PM.

[Zvyezda]

I voted no because I don't think you can just expect that everybody in the country should know how 999 works and that they are using it wrong intentionally. The nation needs educating first before you can introduce prosecution.

[Giraffe]

I voted no because I don't think you can just expect that everybody in the country should know how 999 works and that they are using it wrong intentionally. The nation needs educating first before you can introduce prosecution.

Seriously? We spend an absolute fortune on the education of our youngsters in this country. I've taken 999 calls from people doing exactly the same as the article above - one recent call I took was from a hysterical woman screaming 'she's not breathing' before telling me she'd hit her with her car. When I asked how old the patient was she said she didn't know because it was a cat. I mean seriously if these people are that stupid they should be made to pay for any costs incurred as a result of their call.

[pmtts]

There used to be a very very funny Ambulance forum called the Big White Taxi Service. Sadly it had to go because of certain issues.

The comments on there about wasting ambulance time were unreal, but true!

[Judge Dread]

A national advert campaign by the government could be launched, to educate people what 999 is really for, and the consequences of what could happen by tying up vital resources.

This needs to stop before someone loses a battle they could of win with urgent medical assistance.

It's a difficult issue.

I've got loads of mates who DON'T call the police when they really should.

Some of them have been victims of robberies, assaults, theft, burglaries, and your garden variety sec 5-3 POA without ever calling the police. Most said "I didn't want to waste their time" or "I didn't know I *could* call them for that".

So if we start telling people not to phone-up more of those people will never report serious crimes!

I think a campaign clarifying what they should call for would be good.

[Zvyezda]

Seriously? We spend an absolute fortune on the education of our youngsters in this country. I've taken 999 calls from people doing exactly the same as the article above - one recent call I took was from a hysterical woman screaming 'she's not breathing' before telling me she'd hit her with her car. When I asked how old the patient was she said she didn't know because it was a cat. I mean seriously if these people are that stupid they should be made to pay for any costs incurred as a result of their call.

But not everybody in the country went through the education system here as a youngster. And of those who did, you can't assume that what they've been taught would stick.

I agree with a national advertising campaign as the way forward.

[Corbs]

It's a difficult issue.

I've got loads of mates who DON'T call the police when they really should.

Some of them have been victims of robberies, assaults, theft, burglaries, and your garden variety sec 5-3 POA without ever calling the police. Most said "I didn't want to waste their time" or "I didn't know I *could* call them for that".

So if we start telling people not to phone-up more of those people will never report serious crimes!

I think a campaign clarifying what they should call for would be good.

I'm with you on this, I think 101 is great for this, even if it is for 999 really at least it'll make people more willing to get in contact with the police.