Review: Is There Intelligent Life On Earth?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 18, 2013
This book is a too-short selection and discussion of various absurd calls to the 911 emergency services telephone line. The author is an Emergency Medical Technician for an ambulance service in New York City, with a history of service extending well beyond that city's boundaries. His vast experience has exposed him to a large number of questionable 911 calls. A few of the more dubious calls are disclosed within the pages of this book; many are outrageous, and many are outrageously funny, but the takeaway message is that 911 is intended to be for legitimate emergencies only, not to complain because your pizza delivery is late.Dave's writing style is very conversational, which works well with this subject matter. It's like sitting down with a friend while he talks about his day at work. The examples he shares in this book are the sort of calls that will have you laughing, and shaking your head at the incredible stupidity of some people, yet it is important to recognize the seriousness of such calls, because they may tie up the line while someone with a legitimate emergency is trying to call in.This is a book most people would enjoy reading, and I can recommend it for anybody who appreciates a good laugh, but I can't end without sharing at least a couple of the examples Konig includes.His first example: a caller properly begins by accurately telling the 911 operator his/her location, then proceeds to explain the "emergency". The car will not start, and the driver is locked inside. The door locks and windows are controlled electrically, and none of the electrical controls will work, so the driver cannot open the door to exit the vehicle. The 911 operator asks the driver if he/she can physically pull up the door lock and open the door. The caller replies, "I'm trying... oh... okay okay I got that going okay." The operator then asks if the driver is able to get out of the car now, to which the driver replies that the door did indeed open. The operator then offered to call a tow truck.One more example, which unfortunately did not end well for the operator, although I think we can all understand his response after a day of answering inappropriate calls, went as follows. A mother called 911 to report that her two teenage daughters were physically fighting when she got home from work, one had kicked a hole in the wall, and the 12 year old was completely out of control. The operator then asked: "Okay, did you want us to come over and shoot her?" Now, I don't know about you, but I've had days at work - too many of them - where I desperately would have loved to make a reply like that. Unfortunately, the mother did not appreciate his sense of humor, which quite honestly should have made her realize how absurd her call really was. She filed a complaint, so the operator had to undergo "sensitivity" training, and had a letter of reprimand placed in his file.This review is already too long, so I'm done. If you want to read more calls like those two examples, you should get this book. It should make you laugh AND shake your head in wonder.