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Ambulance Service Condemns 'No Loo Paper' 999 Call

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Huffington Post UK   Simon Crisp First Posted: 25/12/11 09:51 GMT Updated: 25/12/11 09:51 GMT

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Everybody knows 999 is the number to ring in an emergency, but unfortunately some idiots dial it for less important matters -- like the man who called when he ran out of loo roll.

Bosses at South West Ambulance have recently condemned the public toilet-using gent who called 999 when he realised the convenience had no toilet paper left.

He apparently thought this demanded an emergency response and requested that an ambulance be dispatched with a fresh roll for him… operators disagreed.

A spokesperson for the service said they've released details of the call in a bid to highlight the problem of non-emergency calls and that all 999 calls are treated as potentially life-threatening.

"Our call takers go through the process with callers and that will take time and they could be missing a call that's a genuine emergency," he told the BBC.

Dr Andy Smith also told ThisIsPlymouth: "This is a particularly busy time for the Trust and the festive season always brings extra demands, particularly on our clinicians and call handlers."

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Everybody knows 999 is the number to ring in an emergency, but unfortunately some idiots dial it for less important matters -- like the man who called when he ran out of loo roll. Bosses at South W...
Everybody knows 999 is the number to ring in an emergency, but unfortunately some idiots dial it for less important matters -- like the man who called when he ran out of loo roll. Bosses at South W...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
GingerlyColors
No will to change it, no right to criticize it
72 Fans
04:02 PM on 12/27/2011
Making such a call to the emergency services is just plain, anti-social behaviour. An ambulance cannot be in two places at once.
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rash8909
58 Fans
11:20 PM on 12/26/2011
Whoever made the call was probably p*ssed.
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Trenchfoot
76 Fans
09:34 PM on 12/26/2011
Trace the calls and bang them up.
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TraceyB68
1 Fans
08:09 PM on 12/26/2011
As someone who is the sister of an Ambulance technician, the sister in law of a cardiology nurse and a friend of an ambulance dispatcher, I can only praise the people who work in the NHS, knowing the shifts they work, the anti social hours, the awful conditions somethimes, if only the general public knew the half of it.
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venlafaxine
64 Fans
07:14 PM on 12/26/2011
NHS Is already wasting money & paying ridiculous prices for toilet paper! It's already been reported!
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photo
Prove It theres no test
45 Fans
04:59 PM on 12/26/2011
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8964445.Mother_s_fury_as_999_call_for_son_is_rejected/
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zolton
1 Fans
03:38 PM on 12/26/2011
What A Tw*t
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photo
Prove It theres no test
45 Fans
04:51 PM on 12/26/2011
What a W*nker!
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Prove It theres no test
45 Fans
01:14 PM on 12/26/2011
It would be more constructive reporting & correcting mistakes made by the NHS / Ambulance / The Emergency Operator Service - They really cost lives!
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rbirdie17
10 Fans
06:25 PM on 12/26/2011
I take it you are well off and can go private If not I would watch what you say. You could need the ambulance service one day. No matter where you work or what profession you are in some mistakes do happen THAT'S LIFE. No one perfect NOT even you.
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venlafaxine
64 Fans
07:02 PM on 12/26/2011
Go & do some different type of debating! NHS Ambulance service ain't that good!
From someone who's not rich!
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frmartyn
6 Fans
07:35 AM on 12/27/2011
rbirdie17 - can't work out your logic. Why do you assume that anyone who has a criticism of the NHS is either rich or uses the private healthcare sector?
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Prove It theres no test
45 Fans
01:10 PM on 12/26/2011
It great any links to the numerous links to the NHS / Ambulance cock ups have been removed!
A lot more serious than this!
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wAdrian
95 Fans
12:35 PM on 12/26/2011
Was the man drunk ? an idiot ? or just a product of the dependancy culture bred by our nanny state ?
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shanesps
7 Fans
12:05 PM on 12/26/2011
whilst i think this behaviour deplorable the response from some so called operators could also be questioned, whilst my wife and i and our child was in bed a few xmas's ago we had our home invaded, not being sure if the invader was still in our premises my wife phoned 999 only to have the phone put down on her eventually we got through but then waited 40 minutes for a response to be then told "we probably won't catch them now it's just one of those thing's". no doubt not the treatment shall we say the beckhams would have recieved and obviously not the treatment any royal would (have) got in the past
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chindit623
10 Fans
06:43 PM on 12/26/2011
I've experienced the opposite. The property next door was empty. I heard noises late at night. I 'phoned the Police. They arrived within minutes just as the "visitor" was leaving by a side entrance. He continued his journey in the back of a Police van!
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Fiz1
3 Fans
04:22 PM on 01/21/2012
What has that got to do with the ambulance, service?
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tonyrg
0 Fans
09:44 AM on 12/26/2011
Easy isn't it. I know it's another waste but why not send a police officer to the scene and issue a fixed penalty fine for endangering life due to lack of care.
One or two cases like that to hit the head lines and it would stop. Second or more offencees should be automatic imprisonment for one week and in all cases these 'people' should be made to pay for the time wasted,cost of prosicution and time spent in jail.
Harsh? Maybe,but if it was your house burning or being robbed or perhaps your mother having a heart attack,I think not.
.
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ravenstar68
0 Fans
12:06 PM on 12/26/2011
How would you prove who made the call? All he has to say it was his mate using his phone and the police would not be able to issue a fixed penalty. Yes they could try to gather evidence but the cost would probably mean that the CPS would not want to pursue it through the courts.
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tonyrg
0 Fans
02:24 PM on 12/26/2011
Just like speeding tickets,if you don't say who was driving,you get 'done'.
Same system could be applied.
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Joe Joe P
38 Fans
06:41 AM on 12/26/2011
LOL! Probably one of the P Ms mates then!
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bjreneterprises
15 Fans
12:52 AM on 12/26/2011
As a Police Officer in the early 70's I went to a 999 call made by a public toilet attendant, his emergency complaint was that a male member of the public had entered the facility and asked the attendant for change to use a cubicle. The guy had been desperate, the attendant refused and the guy dropped his pants and promptly evaucated his bowells on the floor in front of him.
I reminded the attendant of the proper use of the 999 system.
It is quite common for a member of the public to use the 999 system to report just about anything silly and trivual and sometimes what is an emergency to them his seen in a different light by others. During the summer months in the main holiday season it isn't unusual to get a 999 call from someone who is on holiday to say they think they've a gas/electric appliance on at home.
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roseandpeony
47 Fans
06:21 PM on 12/26/2011
We very recently had an incident where we dialled local police, and after they had come were told we absolutely should have dialled 999. We thought it was only for life threatening incidents and didn't like to waste the police time, we were informed that being under such distress did warrant a 999 call particularly as children were involved. Amazing how different members of the public view the use of the emergency services.
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Shhhh
2 Fans
11:20 PM on 12/25/2011
I think its very sad when people are so dumb,but I have to say Charmin !!!
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