Working in emergency services is clearly a demanding job, as people’s lives are often on the line. However, there is a level of expectation that many have and were taught from a young age: Call 911, and help will come. Unfortunately, however, help doesn’t always show up, at least not in a timely manner. And one Georgia woman learned that the hard way when she spotted a driver who had fallen unconscious in the middle of the road, so she dialed 911.
“I have been waiting for Atlanta 911 to pick up for over 5 minutes,” the woman groaned in a r/mildlyinfuriating post, clearly in a mild panic that no one was coming to help. “A person unconscious in their car does count as an emergency to me!” the woman exclaimed. The person could have suffered a heart attack or worse, after all. Fortunately, a dispatcher eventually picked up and sent EMS to the scene. Since the poster wasn’t associated with the driver in any way, they weren’t able to provide any updates on what happened later.
Still, the 5-plus minutes that no one responded could have had a big impact on the driver’s well-being. However, the people in the comment section quickly pointed out that a 5-minute wait was nothing. Some shared their stories of calling 911 and having to wait up to half an hour before responders showed up for the emergency. “That’s terrifying, we’re told to call 911 like it’s a magic solution, but stories like this show how fragile the system actually is,” remarks one user.
“I don’t know how this is acceptable,” complains another Redditor. “I can’t imagine the terror or frustration if you’re dealing with an immediate life or death situation with a loved one. I’ve always been calling for a situation with a stranger like op.” Another commenter chimed in, saying, “John Oliver has a Last Week Tonight about 911 in the US. It’s a joke, really.”
On top of the massive expense that medical services can cost, having to wait for an ambulance or police to show up is quite infuriating. Hopefully, the current administration will focus on fixing such important issues for Americans rather than on other things that would harm the economy or disrupt society. Surely not.
