(This is a true story and so I tried my best not to be unnecessarily graphic, but if real blood loss isn’t your thing…)
I was looking right at him but almost didn’t notice when he fell. It just happened so fast.
We were walking home, headed east on New York Avenue, just about a third of a block from where the major DC thoroughfare hits 1st Street NW. The lights were green east and west on NY, while the cars on 1st were lined up waiting their turns.
And he just fell. He was standing on the sidewalk. And then he just fell; into the street.
From our distance, honestly, it looked like another drunk guy had stumbled and fallen off of the curb. But as we got closer, we processed more; we remembered more. We remembered he hadn’t used his arms to break his fall. He had just fallen headfirst.
As we neared the intersection, the driver of the closest vehicle stopped at the light on 1st Street was still in its car. A bystander had rushed to the man’s aid and was supporting his head. The man was bleeding — a lot and quickly. It was enough blood that someone in a car from five feet away would’ve been hard-pressed to have missed it. And no one could’ve missed the fall the man took. Yet, the person in that car remained a person in a car, unmoved.
Miss Bianca took my plastic Safeway bag and I gave the helpful bystander the cloth in my briefcase to press against the man’s head. I grabbed my phone and called 911. Meanwhile, the person in that car sat there.
As soon as someone picked up, I gave our location first and described the scene. About 20 seconds passed. When I had just about finished, the operator spoke again.
operator: police, fire or ambulance?
me: uh? ambulance.
A lot was wrong with this. First, what I told her was the equivalent of “emerg-e-fucking-cy.” It is her job to get first responders out there. Second, if it really is my job to evaluate the scene and make the determination about which branch of emergency responders I want to speak with, then, damnit, tell me that before I waste 20 seconds while a man in his 60s is bleeding profusely from his skull in the street so that an ambulance can be on its way while I relay other information. Third, I’m pretty damn sure that if I didn’t say “we need an ambulance” that anyone listening to what I’d just said would’ve figured out that it wasn’t a fire, for instance, and sent an ambulance.
While on the phone, I was watching the attempt to help and others are jumping in. One man stopped at the light got out and pulled some sort of fabric from his trunk and brought it over so we could change the “bandage.” He didn’t ask any questions first; he just did.
The cops got there pretty quickly. They had been less than two blocks away. We could see them pull out of the alley and come down the street. And, soon, an ambulance was there, too. We gave some witness info and it seemed like everything was under control. We walked the rest of the way home.
But, to the waste of chromosomes in the car that watched the whole thing and did nothing, and to the operator who didn’t listen enough to what I was saying to realize that “man bleeding from head” didn’t mean “fire truck,” I hope you never need emergency care. Not that we wouldn’t help you; because we would. But karma has a really odd way of not being nearly that nice.
That’s a weird question considering when they call for help they use their radio thingies, right? That the FIRE department, ambulance AND cops can all hear?
oops… did I just age myself? When I was doing my ride alongs during my EMT class they used those radio thingies. And yes, the fact that I don’t even know what they were called is one of the many reasons I didn’t actually become an EMT. hahahah
You know what I’m talking about though, right?
Do they use something else now? Like something computerized? Digital?
Or did they go back to using a messenger on a horse? And that’s why she needed to know if you wanted the ambulance, cops or fire department?
That’s the one thing I like about the area we live in…How close the cops are.
As far the person sitting in their car…really?
On Friday, when I was driving back home from the metro, I saw a guy wipe out on the street. He stood up and shake it off but I got out of the car to ask if he was OK just as another woman driving the opposite direction did the same thing. Because that’s what you do.
Because that’s what you’d want someone to do for you.
Wipe out on his bike*
Sadly, this tale doesn’t really shock me, though I guess there is some comfort in knowing there are generally more good people than bad.
Thank goodness for people like you guys… people are so afraid to get involved, regardless of if the problem concerns strangers, students or even friends. It’s why we need a show called “Intervention” and law requiring people to be good samaritans.
I honestly can only hope that I would have done what you did in that situation.
Grrrrr.
Some say it’s city living.
I say they’re #*(%^()Q@ing assholes.
wow. despite the asshole(s?) in the car, overall i find this a good story. more people helped than didn’t, which still warms the little cockles of my heart. it’s good to know that for a lot of us, that IS still our first instinct.
Thanks for being there and helping.
Wow. That must have been really weird to process that later. There’s a lot going on there.
I don’t know about that particular dispatcher, but I have a friend who does 911 dispatch, and it’s not a job that I would ever want to have. I’m glad the services arrived quickly, regardless – and that you and others were willing to assist.
WTH?! It’s not like you were calling to ask for a burger, fries or milkshake! That’s ridiculous.
And you’re right, karma can be a bitch. What goes around, can come right back around.
I sometimes wonder whether those that work as 911 dispatchers are so insensibilized that they just act and feel as robots… they are machines that only understand the words they were told to understand and don’t think too much… and wonder how much of this is a defense mechanism, they must hear so many horrendous things that if they start thinking they’ll just go insane…
I don’t think I could just sit there and do nothing. I mean – I could get out of my car and try not to be hysterical, but at least I would get out. And when I called 911 to report that my former roommate was flopping on the floor and foaming at the mouth and she kept asking me if she had heart problems, all I kept shouting was “NO! She *&%$ tried to kill herself. What more do you need to know?” But then again – I’m not so calm in emergencies. They have to be.
That’s really unbelievable. And so sad. I’m so glad you guys were there to help.
oh god f.B. thank goodness for people like you. what a scary scene.
living on an alley we called 311 and 911 quite a few times. we had VERY mixed responses. sometimes really helpful and super quick responses, another time we heard a scream, looked out and no one was there, but found a purse open with no wallet when we went out to walk the dog later. when we called the cops they said “if you want, you can bring it to your nearest police station, otherwise thanks for calling.”
First, I applaud the folks who did help. And yes, I think those who *could* help but choose not to are ridiculous. That old statement, “What goes around, comes around”, is popular for a reason.
But, let’s face it, some people freeze in situations like that. Or cry. Or pass out on the site of blood. Or whatever. I’ve seen otherwise competent and good people freeze in situations like this.
… just saying.
This is so tragic. Good for you for being a good Samaritan. I think it is people like us who give me faith that the world is still a good place. With good people in it.
Why do I say US?
Because something similar happened in Vegas when D and I were on vacation a few years ago.
This man was having an epileptic seizure. People were STEPPING OVER HIM. D and I called 911, and they were able to get him to the hospital … but I was appalled at the callus nature of the people who would have rather watched and pointed than call for help.
BLEEDING FROM THE HEAD DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGER THE “AMBULANCE RESPONSE”???
Unbelievable.
Wow, that’s great that you guys were there to help!
Seriously? Police, fire, ambulance? Um gee, lemme think…
That’s crazy! But at least many people helped out and the cops got there quickly!
I hope the man that fell makes a speedy recovery.
Aren’t those situations always interesting? You always wonder what you would do and those reading it wonder what they would do.
I know I would do what you did and for that I’m glad.