Friday 6 June 2014

DON'T Call 911!

On the whole, island life is very laid-back, and on top of that, I live in one of the most peaceful and quietest areas in the whole of the island. Literally nothing exciting ever happens. As I can recall, the most exciting thing that has ever happened to our neighbourhood was when all the street signs got replaced. Okay well actually, the most exciting thing was when that Australian billionaire got assassinated just down the road. Expertly shot, then him and his vehicle being doused in aviation fluid and being set alight. Have to admit that doesn't happen very often.... 


However, something really exciting happened recently, and it happened all on the road below our house! Basically, two vehicles were on a collision course with each other on our very narrow road, with houses either side. Mine being on top of the hill, and our neighbour on the bottom. Both cars braked last minute, except one of them had a malfunction and could not stop. Thank heavens they didn't swerve left and straight into my neighbours house, but instead they turned right, and up our verge. 

What would of been nice is if they just stopped at the base of our hill, but unfortunately it kept on going up, and up and such a steep incline that IT CAPSIZED. 

The most devastating part of all of this is that my little brother and dad were on the deck, conveniently staring at the road and saw everything, and I didn't! I only got to find out after the fact, when I heard the desperate yelps of an elderly lady. I ran to the window and saw the chaos that had just broken loose. 



I did what I thought was the most sensible thing to do, as there was already a few people on the scene helping, so I called the 911, well after about ten second of course, when I remembered what their number was (Had to look in the phone book).

Here is the dialog that followed:

'Hello! I want to report a car accident that has just happened, an SUV has capsized and I can hear people crying for help-'

"Hi Sir, ummm hold on say that again, what happened?"

'An SUV has just capsized and I think there's still someone in it, and I don't know what condition they are in!'

"Oh ok, umm so where is it?"

'Paddle Street, Jesmond'
(Address has been changed for privacy reasons)

"... Sorry say that again?"

'Paddle Street... Jesmond' ( Let me just mention that I have been speaking slowly and clearly this whole time)

"... Sir, I'm so sorry, can you just say that again?"

'PADDLE, P-A-D-D-L-E, STREET, JES - MOND, J-E-S, M-O-N-D'

"............. Mhmmmmm no, I have noooo idea where that is. Hey do you guys no where Paddle Street, Jesmond is?"

*Voices murmur in the background*

*All while people are screaming for help down the hill*

"Sorry Sir, I don't know where that is, Can you give us any more info?"

'It's just underneath the Westway development...'

"OH! Okay, yeah I've been there! Okay, ummm what's your name and number Sir?"

------

I gave them my name and number, they said thank you, and just simply hung up. Can you believe that? No reassurance that an ambulance is on the way or anything. So I spent the next 5-10 minutes in anguish wondering if they would send help or not.

Then I get a phone call, I pick up and a 911 operator is on the other end of the line...

"Hi, umm James? You called us a while ago to report an accident, do you have an update on the situation?"

'Hi yes, well from what I can tell the guy is, alive... As to what condition he's in I have no idea-'

"Oh he's alive? Okay bye then!"

AND THEY HUNG UP ON ME

As soon as I said he was alive, they hung up on me! Now am I be ridiculous? Or are they just crazy? And still no reassurance that an ambulance is on the way! Fortunately not too long after one did come, by that time the guy inside the vehicle was out and about walking around the road and trying to salvage his crate of alcohol that was in his trunk. He didn't suffer any major injuries. Can you imagine though if he did? And the Emergency Services were that slow? 

Hope you enjoyed this blog post! More coming next week! So please sharelike and tweet it, and tell as many people about it as you can and I'll love you forever! :) Sign up to get an email subscription as to when a new article comes out, which will be next week! Comment down below any experiences that you have had with emergency services!












2 comments:

  1. Oh St. Lucia! Chances of survival here after serious injury or even not-so-serious abrasion are slim to null. Real Unfortunate.

    ReplyDelete

Social Icons

Featured Posts