On June 26, Jaydon Chavez-Silver was shot in a drive-by at a house party.
His friend immediately called for help, not expecting that she would be hung up on by the dispatcher. After confirming he was breathing twice, the third time she answered, "How many fucking times to I have to tell you? He's breathing!"
Instantly, with an eerie detachment, firefighter Matthew Sanchez responded: "Okay, ma'am, you know what? You can deal with this yourself. I'm not going to deal with this, okay?"
As he disconnected the call, the unidentified women yelled, "No, my friend is dying!" He still hung up.
Chavez-Silver later died from his injuries.
Currently, Sanchez is on administrative leave, but this isn't the first time this has happened.
On August 19, 2008, in Lincoln Park, Michigan, a similar situation took place with Adrainne Ledesma when she called 911 after her father suffered a seizure after undergoing brain surgery.
Ledesma (during dialing): What the fuck?
Sgt McFarland: 911
Ledesma: I need an ambulance at (address) Hartwick.
Sgt McFarland: Well first of all, you don't need to swear over 9-1-1 and slow down.
Ledesma: OK. Send me a fucking ambulance!
Officer hangs up.
Ledesma calls again.
Sgt McFarland: 911
Ledesma: Are you going to give me an ambulance?
Sgt McFarland: Are you going to swear again, you stupid ass?
Ledesma: Are we going to have a fucking problem?
Sgt McFarland: No! You're not going to get one!
Ledesma: Do you want to fucking lose your job?
McFarland hangs up again. Ledesma's father is still having a seizure. She calls again.
—Sgt McFarland: 911
—Ledesma: I just want to know what's your name because you're getting sued.
—Sgt McFarlandr: Good!
—Ledesma: What is it?
—Sgt McFarland: Good. Good for you 'cause you're a buffoon!
—Ledesma: Send a fucking ambulance!
She was hung up on again. After six minutes, the McFarland called in rescue squad, complaining about the "filthy-mouthed girl" who wasn't explaining what was going on.
Ledesma left her father to her older brother and went directly to the police station to file a complaint against the dispatcher. She was greeted with, "Are you the girl with the foul mouth?"
Upon affirming this, the cop went around, put Ledesma in the backroom and then arrested her for disorderly conduct and "abusing 911" (which isn't even a crime)!
All charges were dropped and her father lived. She settled with the city and McFarland was given a 10-day suspension and had to undergo anger management class. That must have pissed him off.
In customer service jobs, if you act like an asshole you can get fired on the spot for losing a customer and hurting the company's integrity. Thus proving, once again, if you're a member of the police or fire department and someone's life is in your hands, you can do whatever the fuck you want.
So next time you have to call 911, remember who is on the other end of the phone with you and make sure to be very polite. Someone's life may depend on it.
Tue Jul 28, 2015 at 9:33 PM PT: According to KRQE, Sanchez resigned.
Hat tip and thanks to riogrande for the find.