A Public Service Announcement. One I'd rather not have to make.

[DS1]

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=70341

One of my bosses died this week. On his way to lunch he collapsed into a wall and stopped breathing. Another co-worker he was with started CPR right away, but because the campus is largely empty over the summer break he only had his cellphone to dial 911 with one hand while pushing on his chest with the other. Nobody was within earshot the first time he called for help.

Here's where it gets tragic. Because the call was made on a cellphone an ambulance was dispatched 3 minutes later - from 2 towns over. There's actually an ambulance station I could throw a rock towards and most likely hit from where he went down. It's right under our nose at the bottom of a hill. It was over 15 minutes before EMTs showed up. It wasn't their fault by any means, nor was it the fault of the guy who called while giving CPR.

If you have to call 911 with a cellphone, try to back it up with a landline call as soon as you can.

(I know the Emergency Reponse details because I was working in the school's PD office 2 days later and they were talking about the complete SNAFU)

[SOteric]

1. I remember reading something about this being a pervasive problem

with cell phones and emergency calls.

It's good to know, thanks for your concern. :hug: I'm sorry about your boss.

[amandae]

2. I'm sorry for the loss of your boss ....

my thoughts are with his family ... he was so young.

Why exactly did it take so long to get an ambulance to him? Because he made the call on a cell phone?

[DS1]

4. The dispatchers didn't get to talk to the caller for long

as he was busy providing CPR, and they didn't know the area at all.

They screwed up selecting which unit was closest to deploy, not knowing the area at all.

[amandae]

6. The dispatchers should know the area ...

I feel so badly for his family, to think that it was just an unfortunate series of events that led to his death (which, I know happens often, it just really makes you think about everything you trust in - like 911).

My husband is a dispatcher and they just received the new technology to trace 911 calls to the caller location. Hopefully it will work ...

[Ohio Dem]

3. I called 911 on a cell phone after a car accident once.

911 from my cellular directed me to a town in the next county. About 45 minutes away, as an ambulance would ride. Luckily, they said to me that this was common and called the local people for me.

Even luckier, there wasn't anybody seriously injured, as it turned out. Nine cars piled up, though, and I though somebody should know.

On edit: I don't know why my first thought left my mind, but it did. I'm sorry to hear about your boss. Where exactly did this happen, anyway?

[DS1]

5. See article

In Massachusetts