Silly 9-1-1 Calls

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves ~Bill Vaughan

Happy New Year 2009!
For something light, I've googled silly 9-1-1 calls. Make yourself a better person this year by not repeating these mistakes!

• An Oregon woman called 9-1-1 asking for the "cute" sheriff's deputy to return to her house for a date. She now faces a $6,000 fine and up to a year in jail.
• ABC news says it has the 9-1-1 tape of John McCain's brother calling to complain about being stuck in traffic.
• Do NOT put 9-1-1 on your cell phone speed dial. Multnomah county in Washington state now plays this announcement because of too many accidently placed 9-1-1 calls from cell phones,"Portland 9-1-1. If this is an emergency, press 1 or say 9-1-1 after the tone (repeats message in Spanish)". If neither action is taken, your call will not go through.
• 9-1-1: "Okay, do you need Police, Fire or Medical?"
  Caller: "No sir, I want to know where a good place to sit quietly and be by myself is."
• Dispatcher: This is 9-1-1. Do you need police assistance?
  Caller: Well, I don’t know who to call. Can you tell me how to cook a turkey? I’ve never cooked one before.
• Caller: I was wondering…..does the Fire Dept. put snow chains on their trucks?
  Dispatcher: Yes sir, do you have an emergency?
  Caller: Well, I’ve spent the last 4 hours trying to put these chains on my tires and… well.. do you think the Fire Dept. could come over and help me ... get these chains on my car
• More at http://www.firegeezer.com/2008/08/27/silly-9-1-1-calls/

Bottom Line

Many large cities, notably LA and NY, support the number 3-1-1 for information. A promotional website for 3-1-1 in Los Angeles described the distinction as follows: "Burning building? Call 9-1-1. Burning Question? Call 3-1-1."