In 2006…a California woman called 911 because Burger King would not make a burger her way…

Actual 911 call:

Dispatcher: Sheriff’s department, how can I help you?

Woman: Yeah, I’m over here . . . I’m over here at Burger King right here in San Clemente.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: Um, no, not San Clemente; I’m sorry, I live in San Clemente. I’m in Laguna Niguel, I think, that’s where I’m at.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: I’m at a drive-through right now.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: I went . . . I ordered my food three times. They’re mopping the floor inside, and I understand they’re busy . . . they’re not even busy, okay, I’ve been the only car here. I asked them four different times to make me a Western Barbeque Burger. Okay, they keep giving me a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and cheese, onions, and I said, “I’m not leaving . . .”

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: I want a Western Burger because I just got my kids from Tae Kwon Do, they’re hungry, I’m on my way home, and I live in San Clemente.

Dispatcher: Uh-huh.

Woman: Okay . . . she said, she gave me another hamburger; it’s wrong. I said four times, I said, “I want it to go. Can you go out and park in front?” I said, “No, I want my hamburger right.” So then the . . . the lady came to the manager. She . . . well whoever she is, she came up and she said, um, she said, um, “Do you want your money back?” And I said, “No, I want my hamburger. My kids are hungry and I have to jump on that toll freeway.” I said, “I am not leaving this spot,” and I said, “I will call the police,” because I want my Western Burger done right! Now is that so hard?

Dispatcher: Okay, what exactly is it you want us to do for you?

Woman: I . . . send an officer down here. I . . . I want them to make me . . .

Dispatcher: Ma’am, we’re not gonna go down there and enforce your Western Bacon Cheeseburger.

Woman: What am I supposed to do?

Dispatcher: This is . . . this is between you and the manager. We’re not gonna go and enforce how to make a hamburger; that’s not a criminal issue. There’s . . . there’s nothing criminal there.

Woman: So I just stand here . . . so I just sit here and [block]?

Dispatcher: You . . . you need to calmly and rationally speak to the manager and figure out what to do between you.

Woman: She did come up, and I said, “Can I please have my Western Burger?” She . . . she said, “I’m not dealing with it,” and she walked away. Because they’re mopping the floor, and it’s also the fact that they don’t want to . . . they don’t want to go through there . . . and . . . and . . .

Dispatcher: Ma’am, then I suggest you get your money back and go somewhere else. This is . . . this is not a criminal issue. We can’t go out there and make them make you a cheeseburger the way you want it.

Woman: Well . . . that is . . . that . . . you’re supposed to be here to protect me.

Dispatcher: Well, what are we protecting you from, a wrong cheeseburger?

Woman: No . . .

Dispatcher: Is this like . . . is this a harmful cheeseburger or something? I don’t understand what you want us to do.

Woman: Just come down here. I’m not . . . I’m not leaving.

Dispatcher: No ma’am, I’m not sending the deputies down there over a cheeseburger. You need to go in there and act like an adult and either get your money back or go home.

Woman: She is not acting like an adult herself! I’m sitting here in my car; I just want them to make my kids a . . . a Western Burger.

Dispatcher: Ma’am, this is what I suggest: I suggest you get your money back from the manager and you go on your way home.

Woman: Okay.

Dispatcher: Okay? Bye-bye.

They live among us folks. Several years ago a man was shot to death at a fast food drive though in the Atlanta area. Reason, the person at the window didn’t move out of the way fast enough after getting their food. Point being, people that call 911 for things like that can’t be wrapped real tight, but they didn’t pull out a gun and kill somebody, yet. Let me give a few examples of EMS calls I have heard. This comes from EMS workers in route to the hospital with the so called patient.

21 year old female with a toothache

Dog bite

7 year old girl, POSSIBLE arm fracture

52 year old female with a medical problem and constipated

27 year old male thinks there MAY be something wrong with his arm.

patient has a cyst on his right wrist for about a year and wants to come to your facility to have it taken care of.

53 year old male with flu like symptoms

Patient took a home pregnancy test that was positive and she wants to be transported to the ER to confirm it and start prenatal care

I have many more examples of this kind of crap that EMS must respond to I suppose or risk a law suite. So a frivolous 911 call is nothing compared to tyeing up an emergency crew and vehicle to be a taxi service for idiots while someone that really needs them waits and possibly dies. I don’t know what the answer is to this, but it needs to be addressed.

It’s surprising to hear something like this happen.  But, as you both point out it probably happens more often than many of us think.

Here’s one way to deal with stupid 911 calls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9WiX-Bu5GA

Here’s the call that Wolf mentioned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EykZnm_VgU&feature=related

What amazes me is that the people who are ignorant enough to make these calls..

..also operate motor vehicles…on highways that we also drive on..

There’s a miracle for you…we are still alive..