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Original poster

Have you ever phoned 999

242 replies

Woolywolf · 15/08/2021 21:10

If so when/why? I have, once when I panicked a bit after being mugged but luckily haven’t had to any other time

OP posts:
JulesRimetStillGleaming · 16/08/2021 02:26

Apologetically to ask for the fire brigade when I got locked in a building

When someone had a seizure at work.

Think that's it.

EBearhug · 16/08/2021 02:31

Once when someone set fire to a load of straw bales (lived on a farm.) I borrowed a mobile (not many people had them then,) as I could give best directions,but got flustered because they wanted the number I was calling from and I didn't know. Someone else had already called it in though, and they were on their way, so it didn't matter.

Also when I found my mother collapsed in the bathroom with blood everywhere. I went in the ambulance with her.

And people have called for me, as I'm a first aider at work. On one (man with chest pains,) they talked to me while they were en route, telling me to give aspirin if I had any, which I pointed out we weren't allowed to - they said, "we're telling you to, and if there are any problems, we'll be there in 5 minutes deal with it." I was well-impressed by all their portable ECG kit.

YukoandHiro · 16/08/2021 02:36

Twice. Once the flat below us the fire alarm was going off and I could smell smoke and there was no answer when I knocked. Good job I did as a woman had passed out drunk and left sausages on the pan! They had to break down the door and revive her.

Second time was when DD1 had rotavirus and become unresponsive. We were on holiday in Cornwall and had to travel an hour to Truro hospital. That was upsetting (she was fine after a night on fluids)

Scarlettpixie · 16/08/2021 02:45

A few.

Police 4 times - including people in my garden, a man waving a baseball bat, a woman walking in the middle of the road / into traffic

Ambulance - once for me when I thought I was having a heart attack, at least 4 times for my mum after a stroke or falls.

Two ambulances have been called to me. Once for an rta and once for a bad fall.

Ruthietuthie · 16/08/2021 03:28

Three times in a month when I spotted that the roofs of neighbor's houses were on fire.
We live in an area with really old houses, but it was really odd that three roofs (rooves???) caught fire. My desk is on the third floor, so I could see them all clearly.
I've also called the police when my next door neighbor was mugged at the back of our house, and when another neighbor was car-jacked (We live in a beautiful area, but with high crime).

octoberfarm · 16/08/2021 03:57

I did once, when I was driving along the A11 (not a fun road) with my Mum and we spotted a German Shepherd weaving in and out of 70mph traffic. The person I was put through to said they'd had lots of reports about it and police were on their way. I've always hoped she/he was okay in the end.

DinosApple · 16/08/2021 07:18

Yes, for a customer who felt woozy at previous place of work. I was the first aider. A nice old man who was a regular customer. It was the right call to make. Sadly he died a few weeks later. The response was fairly quick, despite the man being conscious.

And I was with someone else when they called 999 the other evening when an elderly neighbour had fallen. This time it took about an hour and a half - it was evening. Again it was the right decision.

KeflavikAirport · 16/08/2021 08:19

Once for a car on fire (from where I was it looked like my neighbour's house was burning down), once when my DS fell over in the shower, age 3, and got a massive gash down to the bone on his forehead.

ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife · 16/08/2021 08:34

Once when my neighbour was attacking her boyfriend and he was shouting ‘help’ a lot.

Roselilly36 · 16/08/2021 08:43

Twice, once due to fire, and the other time as a relative needed an ambulance. My toddler also rang 999, whilst I was putting his sibling in his cot. They rang and asked if everyone was ok as they had received an emergency call from my number, asked me a few questions, I apologised and was advised to make sure the phone was out of reach of my toddler, he was only 2 at the time and had never touched the phone before!

BebesChamber · 16/08/2021 08:45

Yes twice, both for fires in neighbouring buildings.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 16/08/2021 09:54

Twice.
Multi car accident on a busy road. No-one looked hurt, but the driver of the car who caused it was acting very agitated and there was bits of car crap all over the carriageway. The police arrived very quickly and got everything sorted. Our car was right at the front of the line so we were allowed to go once DH had given a statement and was breathalysed. Everyone driving was.
Second time, DH called an ambulance for me as I'd woken up with horrific chest pain and couldn't move. Turns out I wasn't having a heart attack.

bluetongue · 16/08/2021 10:53

Once for a stabbing on my street. It was pretty surreal to call and tell the operator ‘there’s a man out the front of my house and I think he’s been stabbed’. There was blood all over the footpath. We all like to think we’d rush and offer someone first aid but I had no idea if the stabler was still around or what mental state the stabbed person was in. No way was I going to put myself in danger to help a stranger when help was coming.

Hemingwaycat · 16/08/2021 11:05

First time I did I was probably about 8. Our NDN fell off his ladder from quite a height and my Mum told me to run inside and dial 999 on the landline so I did. I didn’t have a clue what to say really, I just said ‘Barry next door has fallen off his ladder and my Mum told me to call you’ Grin. It wasn’t a wireless landline and I was at the opposite side of the house to where he’d fallen so I couldn’t answer any of their questions about whether he was breathing and such, I wasn’t very helpful!

Next time was about 3/4 years later when my brother did a forward roll on the sofa and knocked himself out. My Mum was panicking and trying to get him to breathe desperately so I had to call them.

I’ve called 999 once for my own DC and they sent an ambulance out. He was struggling to breathe and needed oxygen, it was Bronchiolitis. Think that’s it. Never needed the police urgently, only 101 a couple of times.

Needapoodle · 16/08/2021 11:48

A few times for people walking on motorways. The first time i called 101 and they told me off and told me to redial 999.

Some youths came into the garden of our house when i was a youngish teenager, me and my sisters were home alone. it turned out that a couple of the boys were chasing/harassing the others and they'd come into the garden to seek refuge. We called the police who turned up within minutes and sorted it out.

trimtops · 16/08/2021 12:28

yes, I was having a heart attack.

tapdancingmum · 16/08/2021 12:35

A couple of years ago I called 999 as a young girl was being beaten by her partner. I was waiting on the phone to 101 when it escalated so hung up and dialled 999. The first responders arrived in minutes screeching down our quiet road at 100mph (it seemed that fast) and when they got out we realised they were armed responders. Within minutes we had 7 more police cars arriving due to the girl naming who her partner was 😮 we were due to go to court over it but luckily (for us) he then pleaded guilty.

Other than that I think I've only dialled 999 for a duck and her ducklings walking across a very busy hill. We were on the way up and this was on the other side and I didn't know who else to ring. The call handler was very kind about it and said they would send someone.

Muddydoor · 16/08/2021 13:36

Pamela is the new insult, is it now?

For me the thing i worry the most about is the times I didn’t call 999. Like what was happening was too scary to call.

Seiheiki · 16/08/2021 14:09

Once when a chap had a motorbike crash in front of me - ambulance for him, fire for the fuel spill across all 4 lanes of the dual carriageway.

Once for an ambulance for my Ex Husband. He was vomiting with severe stomach pain. Turns out he had Gastritis.

Once an ambulance for me, I had Sepsis from a severe kidney infection.

Once for the police for a distressed looking lady on a bridge in pouring rain at a notorious suicide spot.

Once an ambulance for my Mother who I thought was having a major stroke. I was right, scans showed two major brain haemorrhages had ocurred within minutes of each other, once with me and once in the ambulance en route to the hospital.

JeffVaderneedsatray · 16/08/2021 14:22

Once.
I was walking back to my car along the High Street. I wtinessed a gang leap out of a car and beat up another bloke.
Police and ambulance came.

LadyCatStark · 16/08/2021 14:23

Once when a crash happened behind us on the motorway (I was the passenger and it was before it was normal for your phone to sync to your car).
Once when my grandma had a stroke and they heard our dogs barking and went on and on and on about making sure they were secure to teenaged me who was in a panic and had already confirmed they were (and they were tiny little shelties that wouldn’t hurt a fly!).
Once when I saw a very drunk older man who was covered in blood and trying to harass 2 teenage girls.
Oh and the worst was when DH had an off road motorbike accident. I honestly thought he was dying. They couldn’t find our location as it was a funny one (even though I actually managed to describe it well, which is unlike me 😂) so they sent the air ambulance and I know DH was going to survive when he got all embarrassed and told me to stop waving at it as it wasn’t for him!

ViewFromHalfway · 16/08/2021 14:35

Fire brigade once when I came across an abandoned quad bike on fire in a wooded area.

Police once when I witnessed a car crash (luckily, the guy was fine and am not actually sure the police were needed now but I did what I thought was right at the time).

I don't think I have ever called an ambulance but did tell a guy to once/indicate that he should when I found an unconscious woman at the side of the pavement (said man had walked past her and glanced back when I stopped and clearly realised what an utter cunt he'd been by my look of disgust).

fhammock · 16/08/2021 15:40

By the time the police arrived it has all calmed down and I know feel like I've wasted their time

Similar here, they called back to say they'd been to check on the couple and their children, the man was calm but the lady was still shaken so they'd told the the man to leave and arrange to stay with a friend for the night. They thanked me for calling so I guess it was the right thing to do. If 101 had existed back then it might have been the better option.

Halfwreckedbykids · 16/08/2021 15:44

Once when my baby stopped breathing. He was 7 days out of nicu.
Luckily had a nurse who started cpr

wheresmymojo · 16/08/2021 23:34

@tapdancingmum

A couple of years ago I called 999 as a young girl was being beaten by her partner. I was waiting on the phone to 101 when it escalated so hung up and dialled 999. The first responders arrived in minutes screeching down our quiet road at 100mph (it seemed that fast) and when they got out we realised they were armed responders. Within minutes we had 7 more police cars arriving due to the girl naming who her partner was 😮 we were due to go to court over it but luckily (for us) he then pleaded guilty.

Other than that I think I've only dialled 999 for a duck and her ducklings walking across a very busy hill. We were on the way up and this was on the other side and I didn't know who else to ring. The call handler was very kind about it and said they would send someone.

Blimey....who was her partner?

Reggie Kray?

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