AngelsPacing
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It's THAT time of year again. The time of year that ALL 911 Dispatchers LOVE. It's FIREWORKS TIME!!!
For the last three evenings (I am well aware that the 4th hasn't even arrived yet) our dispatch center has fielded call after call regarding the dreaded "fireworks complaint". While we are happy to take those complaints, they ARE NOT a 911 issue. Perhaps I should clarify. IF you have blown off your hand or started your backyard on fire, THEN please feel free to call 911! OTHERWISE, the non-emergency line is probably more suitable.
Also, please understand that there MAY be other calls that come before yours. Perhaps a vehicle rollover. A heart attack. A domestic. Calling back on 911 to ask WHY we haven't arrived to check out the firecracker bandit two minutes after your first phone call on a holiday weekend should PROBABLY be common sense, but just in case it is not, I will let you know that fireworks is not a priority call. We will get there as soon as we can.
Happy 4th to all. Play nice. Be safe. Be courteous, especially if there are veterans or others who do have issues with fireworks in your neighborhood. For those in Law Enforcement working through this holiday, stay safe and good luck with the Patriotic Aerial Displays. For my fellow Dispatchers, I feel your pain.
themercwithamouthdeadpool
As a person with PTSD I hate it when my neighbors celebrate the 4th. They at least tell me they are setting off fireworks now
Parafairy
Police chief in my state blew off his arm with fireworks last night
dreadeyeknight
As a person with fireworks, this annual ptsd celebration makes me want to shoot shit off.
TheGreatInsomniac
Chicago 311 direct noise complaints to 911, your advice may not be as ubiquitous as you think
TheGreatInsomniac
Directs*
karose0012
Um honest question where can I find the non-emergency number in my area?
AngelsPacing
If you google it, you will probably get ours. Not even kidding. We get calls from EVERYWHERE. They say they got it online. Or through 411.
TheSidewinder17
If its not the 4th, it should be illegal to fire them off in the city past 1030pm. Some people have to work in the morning
HairytheSheep
Our city had an ordinance on legal times and days, i think a lot of cities are going to that
TheSidewinder17
Yeah thats fair. I dont wanna poop on peoples good time but like i said its inconvenient for some. The 4th is fine, let em fly all night
Cyanrose35
I hate living where fireworks are legal in city limits. It's not the noise it's the time of day. They should be considerate and stop at 10pm
turkletoon
Also, if it's 4th of July weekend, those are fireworks. Why would you be POSITIVE you're hearing gunshots??
auronsgirl34
What if your neighbors are shooting off illegal fireworks into traffic? My drunk neighbors almost hit a car last night.
TattedMuppet
We will try to get to every call for fireworks. Have the time they see us coming. Sometimes it's just better to sit back & watch the show.
jwax33
In many places there is no longer a "non-emergency"
Tehsyr
Oh my GOD. Do NOTget me started with "I think I saw a flare!!!" on the Fourth of July. Lady, there are fireworks going off. If we respond to
Tehsyr
every flare report, we wouldnt have enough people. Yes. We DO get that many "flare" reports every fourth of july. US Coast Guard.
Sharkn91
I work dispatch and "its not an emergency but.." may god have mercy on your soul.
Eunoterp
Hate Personal fireworks. We set off a rocket, hit a kids face, got sued for 9 grand.
MittenMagick
My general rule is: "Is someone on the verge of dying? No? Call the non-emergency number."
buffyismyhomegirl
What if it's very late and the non-emergency line isn't available? Then do you call 911? (Real question.)
ShadusMacAoidh
But... I live in a small town. I've asked for the non-emergency number. I was told, "Just call 911." By the police.
Uniqueusername77
Adding on a little late, perhaps it's just where i'm from but I didn't even know there was a non-emergency line until I was almost 17 lmao.
AMother
I don't get all the complaining. I have a senior citizen, a combat veteran, a baby, a rescued dog, and a cat in my home. We know what's 1/2
AMother
2/2 up on the 4th and we just make plans to keep busy and let others enjoy themselves. Even if it runs late or for a few extra days. Nbd
pineapplesandwich
In NYC, it's more like "fireworks season" - 6 homes already lost to fire so far this year. My home got hit by a mortar on Friday at 1:30am.
pineapplesandwich
No fire for us, thank god. Missed the bedroom window by exactly 3 inches and hit brick. Scared the shit out of me.
DukePhelan
Why are these people not charged with wasting the time of emergency personnel with their bullshit complaints? @OP
AngelsPacing
Good question. To THEM, it IS an emergency. If they continuously call, they can get cited...or come to jail in some cases for misuse of 911.
JudgeMentaI
So, fyi, in some jurisdictions, there is no non-emergency line
GavinScreaming
Neighbors probably hate my family having a huge party until the wee hours of the morning every year
SickOfThisCessPool
I started reading this at 8:21 AM and someone set off a firework right outside
AngelsPacing
Sorry. That was me.
omfgasn
Where I'm located, i called non emergency for a noise complaint and they told me to hang up and call 911
meowpat14
Last year my county had a guy blow his face off with fireworks...that was a fun call to handle...
jl97333
You mean using shitty made Chinese explosives might not end the best.
ImOldGregMotherLicker
You know the Chinese invented fireworks right?
AngelsPacing
Those are never fun. Fireworks. Meth labs. All in a day's work.
eion85
If you get a nonurgent call like this are you allowed to transfer them to the Non-emergency number or do you have to deal with it?
katerinaadriah
It probably depends on where you are. My town is smaller and both lines get you to the same dispatchers in the end. One line can just put 1/
katerinaadriah
*the non emergency line can just be put on hold to answer 911 calls. Bigger places may have two sets for dispatch.
AngelsPacing
Here's a secret...I answer both.
eion85
So the only distinction is the priority of the call. you wouldn't put a 911 call on hold, but could a non-emergency call.
eion85
Do you use different voices? ;-)
ItsCandleJack
Better advice - Grow the fuck up, stop whining over fireworks going off if it's before 10pm. Or, go over and talk to the people, pussies.
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katkat43
It's usually the noise cut off. In my city it's 11pm.
thisappisajoke
We have one as well, but jerks around here still like those 3 am boom booms. =(
psstuphere
Even better - grow up and stop with the fireworks.
forestfinagle
1 am and my dickstip neighbours must've found a few they forgot about. Before 10 pm is fine.
smithdogg22
AngelsPacing
True. Although sometimes the confrontation ends up badly. I prefer NOT calling 911 or just letting people light them off for a bit.
iambowser
Sure, but I'd rather not ask drunk assholes to stop at 2am, they're not exactly reasonable.
bobnotk
You also have those calls that go a little like this: "I know what Fireworks sound like and these were gunshots."
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AngelsPacing
Detroit? Lol.
redzombie
i live in southern VA. they usually ARE gunshots.
AngelsPacing
If I had a nickel for every time I heard that...
AngelsPacing
Everyone KNOWS it was a gun. "I KNOW what fireworks sound like. Those WERE NOT fireworks!" They end up being fireworks.
Primotimewaster
As a former 911 'spatcher, there is no such thing as "common" sense when it comes to calling 911.
Ballsackhands
Meh. I try to understand how they all feel even if they're going of about aliens. They are indeed afraid.
Br0verlord
Have you ever had someone call and pretend that they weren't calling 911 for fear of their safety in some situation?
Primotimewaster
No. Most in that type of situation call then hang up. A car is always sent.
AngelsPacing
I have indeed.
MyFavoritesIsAllComics
My wife is a current dispatcher, can confirm this
AngelsPacing
Bless her heart. I feel her pain.
MrPredator
Common sense died back in 2010.
Primotimewaster
Imo, it disappeared decades ago.
leodavinci1
Oh... it left long before then.
TheBeerDoctor
I really feel like we should have an easier number for non emergency... Like 111 or something. British folk, what's yours so we avoid that?
AyAyRonn
0118 999 881 999 119 725
AyAyRonn
3
SweetMotherTeresa
TallEd
In the UK our non emergency number actually is 111
Smufflan
How about 114 14? Thats ours
TheBeerDoctor
Where from? Isn't England 999?
Smufflan
Sweden
Prediterxx
111 for NHS, 101 for police.
woderwoman
U.K. Is 999 for emergencies and 111 for non emergency calls
TheBeerDoctor
Well that's makes way too much sense for us...
5xAcademyAwardWinnerKirkLazarus
My dad is an eye surgeon. 4th of July is the worst/busiest day of work for him. Can't even imagine all the gruesome shit he's seen...
SJohnson23
#Oh say can you see# No, I can't, hence me coming to you Doctor.
DownvotedToOblivionAndDiedInUserSub
Eye can't either.
Muttmutt
Last years fav at my office was the girl who's brother intentionally shot a bottle rocket into her eye
psycin
I paused at "intentionally" .. gasp-worthy, even in the Syriacal world we inhabit.
Blueanchorite
I think we need details for this story
LlamaLingo
.
Muttmutt
Just dumb teens. Brother and friends being mean to sister, though a near miss would be funny and they got a bullseye. She's now a pirate.
LlamaLingo
Did she lose her sight on that eye?
Dagordae
Well, she get hit with a small rocket with an explosive charge. So yes.
Muttmutt
She lost the entire eye
RustyNeX
And the gruesome shit his customers no longer see
sanooooo
"Customers"
RustyNeX
I couldn't spell *patents*
Divran
in capitalist america, it's the same thing