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Old 06-17-2008, 01:30 PM
 
330 posts, read 1,032,621 times
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Continuing my streak of wonderful experiences with my home in Charlotte, I was forced to call 911 this morning. To my shock and amazement, I was on hold for 25 minutes before I got to a human. Luckily, I was reporting property theft and not some kind of real emergency.

Has anyone had to call 911 in Charlotte recently, and if so, how long were you placed on hold?
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:35 PM
 
Location: CLT native
4,280 posts, read 11,267,002 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LAMF View Post
Continuing my streak of wonderful experiences with my home in Charlotte, I was forced to call 911 this morning. To my shock and amazement, I was on hold for 25 minutes before I got to a human. Luckily, I was reporting property theft and not some kind of real emergency.

Has anyone had to call 911 in Charlotte recently, and if so, how long were you placed on hold?
That is absolutely unacceptable.
I am so glad that it was not a life-threatening emergency and that you are OK.

My (now) wife called 911 for a break-in when she was living in Selwyn Village (circa 1994?).
I was there from SouthPark in 10 minutes, the police from Park Road Station where there in 30.

IMHO before white water centers, NASCAR museums, or YACE (yet another Charlotte arena) - we need an adequate system in place to protect and serve the people who are paying the bills to begin with...
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:36 PM
 
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Perhaps the reason for the long wait time is that others were reporting property thefts as well, rather than using 311. Property theft is really not, by definition, an emergency. I suspect you were probably transfered to 311, as there is NO WAY 911 would leave you on hold for 25 minutes. From personal experience- I reported a house robbery in progress, and there were 5 police cars at the house in under 5 minutes.
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:39 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,370,072 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoagie58 View Post
Perhaps the reason for the long wait time is that others were reporting property thefts as well, rather than using 311. Property theft is really not, by definition, an emergency. I suspect you were probably transfered to 311, as there is NO WAY 911 would leave you on hold for 25 minutes. From personal experience- I reported a house robbery in progress, and there were 5 police cars at the house in under 5 minutes.
I tend to agree. When we had a house fire next door the response was unbelieveable - about 5 minutes and we could hear the sirens blaring from all directions.
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:41 PM
 
330 posts, read 1,032,621 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoagie58 View Post
Perhaps the reason for the long wait time is that others were reporting property thefts as well, rather than using 311. Property theft is really not, by definition, an emergency. I suspect you were probably transfered to 311, as there is NO WAY 911 would leave you on hold for 25 minutes. From personal experience- I reported a house robbery in progress, and there were 5 police cars at the house in under 5 minutes.
How would they know what I was going to report? Is CMPD employing psychics now?

I actually didn't know that we were supposed to use 311 to report property theft, as this conflicts with information that was given to me in the past by an officer. I will remember that for the future.
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:41 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,370,072 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LAMF View Post
Continuing my streak of wonderful experiences with my home in Charlotte, I was forced to call 911 this morning. To my shock and amazement, I was on hold for 25 minutes before I got to a human. Luckily, I was reporting property theft and not some kind of real emergency.

Has anyone had to call 911 in Charlotte recently, and if so, how long were you placed on hold?
Was there some way for the system to know you were reporting a life threatening emergency versus a property crime? Or did it just immediately put you one hold when it answered for 25 minutes??? I'm thinking because you didn't have a true "emergency" that's why you were on hold so long?
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:43 PM
 
330 posts, read 1,032,621 times
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Originally Posted by lovesMountains View Post
Was there some way for the system to know you were reporting a life threatening emergency versus a property crime? Or did it just immediately put you one hold when it answered for 25 minutes??? I'm thinking because you didn't have a true "emergency" that's why you were on hold so long?
I was using my realtor's cell phone after he dialed and handed me the phone, and as far as I know there was no interaction before he handed it over to me. Just ... waiting.
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Uptown CLT (4th Ward)
2,560 posts, read 8,521,006 times
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So many non-emergency callers use 911...and tie up the system.

They should be calling 311 for ALL non-emergency issues.

911 is for EMERGENCY only!

Alot of new people to Charlotte may nor be familiar with 311.

Last edited by the 7 oh 4; 06-17-2008 at 01:58 PM..
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:45 PM
 
1,877 posts, read 4,843,033 times
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Seriously- are we to believe that it takes 25 minutes for 911 to answer a call for service? I wasn't suggesting that CMPD employs psychics- I was flat out saying you either didn't look at the time right, or that you were transfered to a non-emergency line.
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Old 06-17-2008, 01:51 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,370,072 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LAMF View Post
I was using my realtor's cell phone after he dialed and handed me the phone, and as far as I know there was no interaction before he handed it over to me. Just ... waiting.
This is really interesting to me LAMF. I'm thinking maybe he DID dial 311?

See, when you call 911 they usually come on immediately and say "Who do you need, fire, police or medic?" You answer "police" for instance and they say "what is your emergency?". Then you would tell them your situation, which in your case would have caused them to say, "sir, please dial 311 for the proper help".
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