Self-Defense Tip: Don’t Listen to the 911 Operator

[esrice]

My ex wife was a dispatcher and I have taken Emergency Medical Dispatching for EMS/Fire. I have an idea of who I can trust and when Im going to be hanging out in the breeze.

I don't think this thread (or at least my opinions shared in it) is about dispatchers and whether or not they do a good job. I do believe that they are indeed there to help and to connect people with help as quickly as possible.

After hearing George Zimmerman and the circus its turned out to be I think I will however just hang up.

I think the important thing to ask yourself is "who is this serving?" Often times the recorded 9-1-1 calls are used to serve a prosecutor's interests, not yours.

 

[Jack Burton]

I don't think this thread (or at least my opinions shared in it) is about dispatchers and whether or not they do a good job. I do believe that they are indeed there to help and to connect people with help as quickly as possible.

.

The dispatcher could be doing a great job... but an important question right then is do you need a distraction that is going to pull your awareness and mindset away from staying alive?

 

[lrahm]

The dispatcher could be doing a great job... but an important question right then is do you need a distraction that is going to pull your awareness and mindset away from staying alive?

If it is a situation where you need to be fearful of your own safety, you don't need the distraction of a 911 operator telling you what to do. If you are witnessing a crime in progress, they might and should try to keep you on the line to keep information up to date or a direction of travel of any fleeing vehicle. Always remember be a good witness.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

If it is a situation where you need to be fearful of your own safety, you don't need the distraction of a 911 operator telling you what to do. If you are witnessing a crime in progress, they might and should try to keep you on the line to keep information up to date or a direction of travel of any fleeing vehicle. Always remember be a good witness.

This is what I was thinking. If I'm in a life or death situation I would give them the immediate needed info and hang up. I don't want to be focused on them instead of focusing on the threat to my life.

Also let's say you have a home invasion and you are in a room calling 911. You give them the pertinent information and set the phone down. Now the 911 operator keeps blabbing sir, sir are you there? Well the BG just happens to be around the corner and hears the 911 operator blabbing ( some phones are kind of loud ) and so the BG decides to just stick his gun around the corner and start blasting rounds into the room or shooting through the walls. Somebody is likely gonna die in that room or at the least get shot.

 

[lrahm]

This is what I was thinking. If I'm in a life or death situation I would give them the immediate needed info and hang up. I don't want to be focused on them instead of focusing on the threat to my life.

Also let's say you have a home invasion and you are in a room calling 911. You give them the pertinent information and set the phone down. Now the 911 operator keeps blabbing sir, sir are you there? Well the BG just happens to be around the corner and hears the 911 operator blabbing ( some phones are kind of loud ) and so the BG decides to just stick his gun around the corner and start blasting rounds into the room or shooting through the walls. Somebody is likely gonna die in that room or at the least get shot.

In this senario let's say you hang up to focus your attention, what do you think the 911 operator is trained to do ... call back. Now your phone in your house starts ringing.

Still love that picture.

 

[j706]

Outstanding advice. 911 dispatchers 9 times out of ten don't know what the hell they are talking about. And you sure do not have to follow their directions or orders. Speaking for the county I work in most of them have a very hard time getting even the most basic of facts. We cannot depend on our dispatchers for anything. Neither should you. Don't misunderstand there are some exceptions but as a general rule use your own judgement.

 

[VERT]

I had to call 911 last spring. Not for a home invasion or self defense, but for a medical emergency. I could hear the dispatcher/911 operator talking to the ambulance. She stayed on the line with me as I gave or corrected directions to the house. I am not 100% sure they would have found me as quickly as they did without the additional directions. While on the phone I was soliciting help from the neighbors. Very distracting having an operator asking me to calm down when listening to her trying to find my street on a map. Keep in mind that we were giving aid (not going to stop that to wait on the paramedics). The 911 operator was very professional but other then sending the appropriate assistance and relaying directions I am not sure how helpful they would be in a self defense situation.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

In this senario let's say you hang up to focus your attention, what do you think the 911 operator is trained to do ... call back. Now your phone in your house starts ringing.

Still love that picture.

Well good point. Maybe it would be better to put the phone down and put something over top of it to muffle any sound they might make?

 

[MaxCain]

Thanks, enjoyed it!

 

[Denny347]

People too often hang up WAY too early. I will get a run "Man with a gun." That's it. The caller will say that and hang up. I get there only to find a kid shooting a bb gun WTH? Or someone calls in a disturbance. I get there only to find out the suspect passed me on the way in as he was leaving in his car. I had NO IDEA he was leaving or in what vehicle. Staying on the line to tell me that would have been great. Yesterday, I had a "shots fired" call with 4 shots fired. As I was getting to the neighborhood, I saw a green vehicle loaded with "dirty-butts" eyeballing me and I was eyeballing them as I passed. Well, I get to the scene only to find out it was actually a drive-by and that was my car of suspects...People don't stay on the line long enough with 911 most of the time. NONE of that was given to the 911 operator.

 

[GBuck]

Well, I get to the scene only to find out it was actually a drive-by and that was my car of suspects...People don't stay on the line long enough with 911 most of the time. NONE of that was given to the 911 operator.

So.... Did you catch up with the car?

 

[KG1]

Well good point. Maybe it would be better to put the phone down and put something over top of it to muffle any sound they might make?

Can't do that. How would they breathe?

 

[jeremy]

For 911 calls I use a format I learned years ago In the Army, SALUTE.

Size of the group.
Activity What are they doing.
Location. Of both you and them.
Uniform. How are they dressed. And description of the person(s).
Time.
Equipment. What are they driving, and/or carrying.

 

[hondatech2k2]

For 911 calls I use a format I learned years ago In the Army, SALUTE.

Size of the group.
Activity What are they doing.
Location. Of both you and them.
Uniform. How are they dressed. And description of the person(s).
Time.
Equipment. What are they driving, and/or carrying.

+1 for this.

 

[NapalmFTW]

For a 911 call I think WHERE is the first thing that should be said, then WHAT is happening.

As soon as the dispatcher knows where the incident is she/he can send units.

Everything else can follow as they're responding.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Can't do that. How would they breathe?

A snorkel of course!

 

[griffin]

We cannot depend on our dispatchers for anything. Neither should you.

I guess I would ask why you hire--and retain--incompetent people?

 

[Compatriot G]

I guess I would ask why you hire--and retain--incompetent people?

While I can't speak for every county, you would be surprised at how much politics plays into hiring and retention. I know of individuals hired and retained only because they were someone's girlfriend, granddaughter, son, wife, etc. In other cases, incompetent individuals are retained because the person-in-charge is afraid to fire said persons for fear of a sexual harassment suit. It is kind of scary to realize these are the people you are talking to when you have an emergency. I try to plan my emergencies around the schedules of the competent employees

 

[griffin]

Just got a reply about this elsewhere from a DPD LEO I sort of know (I almost sold a gun to him). He tells me...

...that many of their dispatchers are ignorant, lazy, petty, egotistical little dictators that are nearly as worthless at dispatching police cars as they were when they were operating the police cars. Wannabe supervisors that weren't smart enough to pass the sergeants exam.

Dispatchers, though, generally ARE police officers, at least in larger cities.

911 operators generally are NOT police officers, they're civilians, who generally scored just high enough on a civil service exam to get a job, but not high enough to get a job requiring any skills. They serve a purpose, but are not experts in how to handle any situation, are generally not professional, cool under pressure, or a source of any good information on how to handle the emergency the caller happens to be dealing with.​

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Just got a reply about this elsewhere from a DPD LEO I sort of know (I almost sold a gun to him). He tells me...

...that many of their dispatchers are ignorant, lazy, petty, egotistical little dictators that are nearly as worthless at dispatching police cars as they were when they were operating the police cars. Wannabe supervisors that weren't smart enough to pass the sergeants exam.

Dispatchers, though, generally ARE police officers, at least in larger cities.

911 operators generally are NOT police officers, they're civilians, who generally scored just high enough on a civil service exam to get a job, but not high enough to get a job requiring any skills. They serve a purpose, but are not experts in how to handle any situation, are generally not professional, cool under pressure, or a source of any good information on how to handle the emergency the caller happens to be dealing with.​

Now there's a shocker!