Have you ever had to call 9-1-1?
From the few times I’ve called in, it’s always a mixed bag of what you’re gonna get. Sometimes the operators are clear and understandable, sometimes they just don’t want to listen to the info you are telling them.
19 months ago I discussed one instance I had with a call to the NYPD, and since then I’ve had a few other calls, thankfully with better results.
A few months ago I called for a FDNY request at 3AM as I smelled smoke in the neighborhood. Amazingly I smelled a fire a mile away, and as I placed the call I saw the first trucks heading in the direction….a mix in smoke traveling in the nighttime winds and fires going undetected when everyone sleeps.
This morning I had another instance to call into emergency services, and it wasn’t the first time I had a call similar to this: There was a man walking along the Manhattan Bridge.
Yes, there is a walking path on the Bridge….but it’s separated from the car lanes, and he was wondering along heading into the city in the two car lanes.
As bad as it is to have someone walking on the bridge at night, add in a black hoodie and black pants, and it makes it really difficult to see the person, especially because you don’t expect a person to be there.
I didn’t hang around to see if they responded, but at least it was a painless process calling them this morning.
Aviously 