Casual 111 chat

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tardtasticx

3075 posts

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#106679 29-Jul-2012 14:49

Last night while out in town with some mates, some guy tried to start a fight and ended up hitting the bar and knocking himself out. While he was being dragged up the stairs I called 111 because he was out cold and bleeding all over the place. Transferred to the ambulance dispatchers and they took my info and his condition etc. When she asked to confirm my number, she said "Is 028 a real number? I've never heard that before. What network is that?" (My number was 028 because I was once on Black and White, terrible network but kept the number because its just easier to do so).

I think its just so inappropriate to be saying stuff like that while I'm trying to get this guy help. This isn't the first time its happened either. Last year at a friends birthday party, a police dispatcher did almost exactly the same thing to me over the phone while some gang member was trying to violently force his way into the house we were in. On a separate note, the police never came that night, or the next day, or ever. I was even more annoyed at that, but really, why do they think its appropriate to be saying that stuff while I'm calling in? They can see my number on Caller ID, shouldn't that be more than enough to verify its an actual number? This just seems to be using time that could be better spent on someone elses call, rather than distracting from what was actually going on.

-Sam

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#663623 29-Jul-2012 15:05

It does seem a bit unnecessary to chat about which network. I suspect they had never heard of or had seen 028 before and were a bit confused by the prefix and guess they're just checking that the details on the screen are correct.

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Byrned

455 posts

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#663626 29-Jul-2012 15:08

Hmm, so someone wants to confirm that they have heard the number correctly and that at a time of what might be stress that you haven't misstated the number, or that it is not a prank call.

Or you could just think they're all twats.

tardtasticx

3075 posts

Uber Geek

#663629 29-Jul-2012 15:21

Byrned: Hmm, so someone wants to confirm that they have heard the number correctly and that at a time of what might be stress that you haven't misstated the number, or that it is not a prank call.

Or you could just think they're all twats.

They had confirmed the number twice, so they know I've given the right number, and they have caller ID which would confirm this also.

mattwnz

20141 posts

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#663633 29-Jul-2012 15:27

A bit surprising, but then again nothing surprises me these days. You would think their computer systems would actually show the network it was calling from anyway. Or perhaps their computer systems are a bit out of date.

itxtme

2102 posts

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#663638 29-Jul-2012 15:46

tardtasticx: Last night while out in town with some mates, some guy tried to start a fight and ended up hitting the bar and knocking himself out. While he was being dragged up the stairs I called 111 because he was out cold and bleeding all over the place. Transferred to the ambulance dispatchers and they took my info and his condition etc. When she asked to confirm my number, she said "Is 028 a real number? I've never heard that before. What network is that?" (My number was 028 because I was once on Black and White, terrible network but kept the number because its just easier to do so).

I think its just so inappropriate to be saying stuff like that while I'm trying to get this guy help. This isn't the first time its happened either. Last year at a friends birthday party, a police dispatcher did almost exactly the same thing to me over the phone while some gang member was trying to violently force his way into the house we were in. On a separate note, the police never came that night, or the next day, or ever. I was even more annoyed at that, but really, why do they think its appropriate to be saying that stuff while I'm calling in? They can see my number on Caller ID, shouldn't that be more than enough to verify its an actual number? This just seems to be using time that could be better spent on someone elses call, rather than distracting from what was actually going on.

-Sam

Doesnt delay the ambulance, confirmation is required due to hoax calls - more than people realize. If you genuinely are offended or have a complaint then follow up with the ambulance service in question, they will in turn pass on the complaint to the company responsible for the 111 call taking. Also FYI ambulance and police/fire have separate call taking facilities, the fact its happened with two separate organisations would tend to suggest it is unusual to come across 028, their caller ID system is not bullet proof - hence the checking.

corksta

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#663640 29-Jul-2012 15:50

I have some friends who work in the Police Communications Centre and the Ambulance one (they're not in the same building), and having seen how they work they're pretty good at multitasking so while a few seconds were spent talking to you about your 028 number they still would have been doing stuff, so it really won't affect how quickly the job is entered and despatched.

Talkiet

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#663642 29-Jul-2012 15:57

Storm. Teacup.

N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

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richms

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#663647 29-Jul-2012 16:39

Not as bad as how some telco gives out 555 numbers to their customers which most people believe are fake.

Richard rich.ms

kingjj

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#663680 29-Jul-2012 17:39

Emergency call takers are required to confirm phone numbers as a part of standard questioning, even with CLI (caller location information) the numbers displayed are often incorrect (for instance, often if you are roaming onto a different network to place a 111 call the number will show on the CLI as a network roaming number). CLI is not full proof and often incorrect or non-existent. If you call from a landline than normally (not always) it will provide your physical address, however you will still be required to confirm this as location it it not always exact. If you call from a cellphone it will usually display your number and the area you are calling from (eg 21123456 Auckland Mobile).

Please visit 111.govt.nz for more information on the type of questioning used by the services and advice for making calls.

tardtasticx, you could make a complaint, but I can tell you that if your only issue is what you've typed than your complaint won't go anywhere. There's nothing offensive, unprofessional or inappropriate about that question, IMHO I would consider it a good question for building rapport with the caller. Give the Call Takers a break, the job is extremely stressful and the idle small talk helps to make the situation less tense.

freitasm

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#663683 29-Jul-2012 17:49

Talkiet: Storm. Teacup.

N

This. And it is not idle chat - not like asking you out. It was a real concern in their part. So what?

cws82us

788 posts

Ultimate Geek

#663684 29-Jul-2012 17:58

i called 111 before about an fight and they think i was in auckland then i was in hamilton with an hamilton number. we have slingshot phone bit odd

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Boeingflyer

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#663692 29-Jul-2012 18:44

Flame me, but i think you have to get over yourself.

kingjj

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#663704 29-Jul-2012 19:24

I would consider asking what network it is with as idle chit chat, confirming the number would be a requirement.

tardtasticx, or anyone else interested, if you are in one of the main centres (AUCK, WEL, CHCH) than call up your local fire/ambo/police communications centre (look in phone book, don't call 111) and ask about having a look around and/or sitting in with a call taker or dispatcher. You would have to meet their security requirements and sign a NDA of sorts. It would probably be a big eye opener as to why they do what they do, how jobs get prioritised, and why you may not always get your expected response.

scuwp

3885 posts

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#663710 29-Jul-2012 19:35

corksta: I have some friends who work in the Police Communications Centre and the Ambulance one (they're not in the same building), and having seen how they work they're pretty good at multitasking so while a few seconds were spent talking to you about your 028 number they still would have been doing stuff, so it really won't affect how quickly the job is entered and despatched.

This.

The call taker and dispatcher are different systems, as the call taker updates the details from the call the dispatch is doing its thing.

Prank call % have always been high ( I think the last stat I saw was 80% ish?). Doesn't surprise me at all that they wanted to confirm some basic caller details.

Edit: Its probably not a bad ploy to calm and focus an otherwise hyped up adrenalin filled person panicking on the end of the phone.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

nickd

447 posts

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#663779 29-Jul-2012 22:57

Talkiet: Storm. Teacup.

N

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