XBox Live, an overly concerned friend, and 911

[Dober317]

While sitting in the station on one of my ride-along days, we were dispatched for a 17 y/o male with difficulty breathing. We responded to the scene just as police arrived to secure the scene. Once it was determined that the scene was safe, we entered. Once it was determined that there was no actual emergency, we got to find out how we got there in the first place.

The supposed "patient" was on his XBox with his brother and a friend, who was connected via XBox Live. The "patient" and his brother started to play-fight, at which point our "patient" yelled at his brother to quit it because he was having a hard time breathing--only until they quit rough-housing and calmed down.

Unbeknownst to them, the mic was still hot: their buddy over XBox Live got to hear the entire debacle and called 911 from wherever he was, reported that his buddy was having difficulty breathing, and was able to give dispatch his friend's address. The end result was us listening to the police officer's rant about video games until we packed up and left.

 

[JPINFV]

...yet every so often a story makes the news where someone makes a plea through Facebook or Twitter, or an MMORPG, or the like and the friend on the other side makes the 911 call.

Here's one case from earlier this year:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/jan/20/web-to-the-rescue/

Another case:
http://www.mobiledia.com/news/94616.html

So I wouldn't dismiss 911 calls coming from online so quickly. I'm also trying to find the story that I read a few months ago where a similar story resulted in international 911 calls.

 

[Dober317]

...yet every so often a story makes the news where someone makes a plea through Facebook or Twitter, or an MMORPG, or the like and the friend on the other side makes the 911 call.

Here's one case from earlier this year:



Another case:


So I wouldn't dismiss 911 calls coming from online so quickly. I'm also trying to find the story that I read a few months ago where a similar story resulted in international 911 calls.

I had no intention of dismissing the call. Regardless of whether or not there was a medical emergency, our buddy on XBox did the right thing--making the call instead of taking a chance, even if it did become apparent afterwards that there was no emergency. Thank you as well for posting those stories--I'd like to read that international one!