Emergency Dispatcher Catches A Few Winks

A Memphis woman called 911 last week because she heard a tapping on her window. This would not seem like an emergency, except she had been robbed earlier that night (at gunpoint) and surrendered her keys and car to the man. So when she heard someone trying to get into her house she called 911, expecting help to be there quickly. However, overcome with exhaustion, the operator fell asleep in the middle of the call. You can hear the tape at http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=61531. He started snoring after a long silence in the call. This woman is scared for her life, has already been held at gunpoint, and this guy is sleeping. Shocked? You shouldn't be, this is not the first time. It has happened multiple times this year already. Maybe it is a rarity to get a 911 call late at night, but there are certain jobs that require immediate alertness at unpredictable moments. This is one of those. To fall asleep on the job as a 911 dispatcher is pathetic. You'd think he would almost be indictable on criminal charges. Nope. Issue a public apology? Not a word. Fired? Not even. He was placed on a one-week leave of absence. And what happened to her? Luckily nothing. She called another 911 agency and got help.