1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,559 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what? 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 2: Well, what's that Mango? 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: So? I was giving this old piece in Popular Mechanics 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: this week, and this one line caught my eye. Did 6 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: you know that the vehicle from Ghostbusters, the original ectomobile, 7 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: is actually a hearse? 8 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 2: You know? One thing I feel like I do know 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: is we've talked a lot about Ghostbusters on this show recently. 10 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: Have you noticed that I have? 11 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: Anyway? I guess I didn't really think about it, but 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 2: that does make sense. It's got such a weird shape 13 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 2: to the car. 14 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, the director sort of souped it up. And apparently 15 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: the original design for the Ghostbuster's car was black with 16 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: purple streaks across the doors, and then they painted out 17 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: white and added some other modifications. But the thing that's 18 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: interesting to me is that the car isn't just a hearse. 19 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: The model's actually called a combination car. Because hearses from 20 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: the nineteen fifties weren't just hearses. They also worked as ambulances. 21 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: According to Popular Mechanics quote, hearses from funeral homes pulled 22 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: double duty, and the funeral home employees didn't have much 23 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: in the way of instruction beyond drive fast because the 24 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: EMPT as a concept was still a few years off. 25 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 2: So why didn't people just call nine one one? And 26 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 2: we're talking about the nineteen fifties, right. 27 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: I guess nine only one wasn't a national thing yet, 28 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: and ambulances and EMPT services hadn't really been formalized either. 29 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: That really starts in the mid to late sixties. So 30 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: the funeral homes already have these cars that can carry 31 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: people laying down. Funeral directors are just up at all hours, 32 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: and for them it's the way to make extra money. Plus, 33 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: from a more cynical perspective, if a patient doesn't make it, 34 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: you've gotten an easy referral. According to the Journal, this 35 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: paper from Ontario, Canada quote these ambulances not only took 36 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: the injury to the hospital, they transported patients to and 37 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: from nursing homes and even gave newborn babies and their 38 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: mothers a lift home. The equipment was often sparse, a stretcher, 39 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: a blanket, a first aid kit, and of course, in 40 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: earlier iteration, it points out they'd have a bottle of 41 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: whiskey to numb the pain. I mean, I can't imagine, 42 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: and I don't want to think about this sort of thing, 43 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: but like, imagine your granddad falling down some stairs or 44 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: something like that. 45 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: The idea of calling a funeral home to help with 46 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 2: this problem just feels so morbid. 47 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: You know, I know which God is wondering when did 48 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: emergency hotlines and nine on one change all of that? 49 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: So that's what we're talking about this episode. Let's dive in. 50 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: Hey, their podcast listeners, welcome back to Part Time Genius. 51 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm joining with my 52 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: good friend Mango, and sitting somewhere behind that big booth 53 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 2: is our pal Dylan. He's got a bottle of Emergency 54 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 2: nine sauce and see SEMs to be pouring it on 55 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: everything he's eating back once he got back. If I 56 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: were doing that, I would be sweating. He's I don't 57 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,679 Speaker 2: see one drout of sweat on the guy, but he's 58 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 2: got I mean, it looks like he's got a burrito. 59 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 3: A hot dog. 60 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: I think that's a cobb salad bart. Mango, I spot 61 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 2: a banana, but what are you doing? 62 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: I'm so glad he also has a big jug of 63 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: milk back there to calm it all down, or else 64 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,239 Speaker 1: we'd have to call nine one one. But speaking of 65 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: nine one one, which translates his emergency to us these days, 66 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: why don't you give us a rundown on how that 67 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: number came to be. 68 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: Well, as you said at the top of the show, here, 69 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: nine one one is a relatively modern thing nationally ethic. 70 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 2: That was the thing that surprised me most as we 71 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 2: started looking into it. But it actually wasn't until nineteen 72 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: sixty seven that the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and 73 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: Administration of Justice recommended that quote, a single number should 74 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: be established, and this would be nationwide. It would be 75 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: for reporting any emergency situation. 76 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: So what happened before that, I mean other than calling up, 77 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: like you know, your local funeral director with right, everyone 78 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: obviously has on speed dial. 79 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 3: That's exactly right. 80 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: Well, there used to be different numbers for different kinds 81 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: of emergencies, and we will get to that. But back 82 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: in nineteen sixty seven, the FCC met with the American 83 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,119 Speaker 2: Telephone and Telegraph Company we know them today as AT 84 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: and T. Actually, that was another thing I learned. I 85 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 2: didn't know that that's what that had stood for. But 86 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,119 Speaker 2: to find a means of establishing a universal emergency number 87 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: that could be implemented super quickly. So in nineteen sixty eight, 88 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 2: AT and T announced that it would establish the digits 89 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 2: nine to one one as the emergency code throughout the 90 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: United States. But weirdly, it wasn't until the Public Safety 91 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 2: Act of nineteen ninety nine MANGO nineteen ninety nine. We 92 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: were in college at the time that nine to one 93 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: one was officially established as the nation's emergency calling number. 94 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: That is insane that it took that long. 95 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was actually Bill Clinton who signed the law 96 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 2: ensuring that the FCC controlled nine one one and that 97 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 2: it had a budget to oversee the number, which is 98 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: when it became officially the law of the land. 99 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: But people were calling nine one one for decades before that, right. 100 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the first nine one one call actually took 101 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: place in my home state in Haleyville, Alabama. And this 102 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 2: was in nineteen sixty eight, and it's still celebrated today. 103 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: And do I mean celebrating, you know, have all sorts 104 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 2: of weird things. You know, We've got that the big 105 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: statue to the Bowl weavil and enterprise out and we 106 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 2: love celebrating our super weird things there. But there's a 107 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 2: sign there that says Haileyville where nine one one began, 108 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 2: which is such a weird thing. But there are also 109 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 2: banners hanging from street lights that have the town seal 110 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,679 Speaker 2: on it that you know, shows this red phone receiver 111 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: and the words home of nine one one. Again, it 112 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 2: just feels like a really weird message to send. But also, 113 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 2: there's literally a nine one one festival in Haleyville every June, 114 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: So I don't know if you've booked your tickets yet. 115 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 3: I haven't. 116 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm not sure that the Home of nine 117 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: one one is really that big a draw for me, 118 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: and it feels weird to want to go to somewhere 119 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: where they have so many emergencies. But I am curious 120 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: about this festival. How do you celebrate a phone number? 121 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 2: Well, if you think about it, there are some things 122 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: to celebrate, Like really, it's a festival to celebrate first responders, 123 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 2: so that's pretty great. They obviously work super hard save 124 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: a lot of lives. There's a parade, some first responder awards. Also, 125 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 2: you know, given where it is, there's a tractor show, 126 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: so that's the fun part too. And then obviously there's 127 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: got to be a cornhole tournament to sort of round 128 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: things out. 129 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: You know, that sounds perfect, but the history. 130 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 2: Is pretty interesting. So back in the nineteen sixties, there 131 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: were all these regional telephone companies. So when AT and 132 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 2: T and the FCC decided that three numbers to use 133 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 2: would be nine to one pint one, the president of 134 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: the Alabama Telephone Company, his name was Bob Gallagher, read 135 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 2: about the decision and was upset that independent carriers were 136 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 2: left out of the conversation. So he basically rushed to 137 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 2: establish a nine to one to one system as fast 138 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 2: as possible. He wanted to beat AT and T to 139 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: the punch, and it took less than a week to 140 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: set up, and on February sixteenth, nineteen sixty eight, the 141 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: red emergency phone in Haleyville rang for the first time. 142 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: I love that there's actually like a red phone there. 143 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: It's amazing. 144 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 2: It's literally on the town seal and all those banners, 145 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,679 Speaker 2: and it's also it's weird to me, like, before looking 146 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 2: into all of this, I actually did not know that 147 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 2: this all started in my home state. 148 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: That's wonderful. Well, what number would you call if you 149 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: had an emergency? Like one year before that, in nineteen 150 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: sixty six. 151 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 2: Well up until that point, people would just dial zero 152 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: and then they would tell the operators. Sometimes we forget 153 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 2: about that, right, the existence of operators, And you can 154 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 2: imagine this was a pretty stressful situation. So the telephone 155 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 2: company operators weren't necessarily trained on these emergency services. But 156 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 2: phone lines had been the go to for reporting emergencies 157 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 2: since the early nineteen hundred, So way back, the founders 158 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 2: of the communications giant Ericson actually developed a portable phone 159 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: handset and this crank that could be hooked to these 160 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: like bare phone wires, and you'd actually place these two 161 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: metal hooks inside it over these telephone wires to form 162 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 2: the connection and then crank the handbox to create a 163 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 2: signal that would hopefully be answered by someone on the line. 164 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 2: This seems like a lot to figure out in these 165 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 2: emergency situations. 166 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: It's insane. So like if there was like a hot 167 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: air balloon crash, or a guy with a handlebar mustache 168 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: riding too fast in his unicycle, this is the contraction 169 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: you'd have to use. 170 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 2: That's exactly, and those were two of the most common 171 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 2: injuries and emergencies. But it turns out people use the 172 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: crank and hook thing for some pretty important things, Like 173 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 2: way back in nineteen oh seven, somebody used one to 174 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 2: report a train robbery and it actually contributed to the 175 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: arrest of the outlaws. 176 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: That's incredible. 177 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 2: And here's actually, it's just so fun to read about 178 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 2: some of these old ones. Here's one more old time nuggeting. 179 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: Part of the reason we actually have some early emergency 180 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 2: regulations is because of the Titanic. So basically, when people 181 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 2: on the ship realized that were in trouble, the Titanic 182 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 2: radio operator signaled for help. And it turns out there 183 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 2: was one ship close by that was capable of offering aid, 184 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 2: but the operator was off duty and the signal was 185 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 2: never actually received, which is obviously a tragic situation. So 186 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 2: in response, Congress passed the Radio Act of nineteen twelve, 187 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 2: requiring all seagoing vessels to have a licensed radio operator 188 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 2: on duty at all times. And this was to continuously 189 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 2: monitor these distress frequencies. And that's what kickstarted the relationship 190 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 2: between emergency communications and governance. 191 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: It's interesting that that's one of the legacies of the Titanic. 192 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: You know, I never would have guessed that, but I 193 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: guess it kind of makes sense that it takes a 194 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: big tragedy to spur some big change like that. Like 195 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: in the UK, instead of nine one one, they have 196 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: nine to ninety nine. And it's actually the world's oldest 197 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: emergency phone service. It dates back to nineteen thirty five. 198 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: But again it comes about because of a tragedy. There 199 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: was a deadly fire in London in on Wimpole Street 200 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: and five women ended up dying. The neighbors did try 201 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: to help. They all dialed zero for the switchboard, but 202 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: it was jammed with so many calls that they couldn't 203 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: alert anyone of the fire. 204 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 2: And so I'm curious, So how did they settle on 205 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 2: those numbers nine to nine to nine. 206 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: The General Post Office, which ran the telephone network, proposed 207 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 1: a three digit number that could trigger a special signal 208 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: and a flashing light at the exchange and then the 209 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: operators could divert their attention and you know, get these 210 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: priority calls. But they just had to pick three numbers. 211 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: People thought an end number was a good choice, so 212 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: you know, you could find it easily if you're reaching 213 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: for your phone in the dark or in thick smoke. 214 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: So like one one one was rejected because it could 215 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: be triggered by faulty equipment or rubbing telephone lines together. 216 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: I guess two two two was already taken apparently connected 217 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: to the abbey, and zero zero zero didn't make any 218 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: sense because the first zero would already take you straight 219 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: to the operator. So they went with nine nine to nine, 220 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: and on June thirtieth, nineteen thirty seven, the Capitol's new 221 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: emergency telephone line was unveiled, and a week later, on 222 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: July seventh, nineteen thirty seven, the press reported at the 223 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: first arrest after a nine nine nine call, there was 224 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: a guy, John Stanley Beard. He was woken up in 225 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: the early hours of the morning by a noise underneath 226 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: his bedroom window, and when he looked outside, he saw 227 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: a single foot, a man's foot out there, and so 228 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: his wife down nine nine nine. In less than five minutes, 229 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: this burglar was arrested five minutes. 230 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 2: That's actually pretty amazing given everything. But so nine nine 231 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 2: nine pretty much worked immediately. 232 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: Uh, well, it didn't work perfectly. Of the about one thousand, 233 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: three hundred calls made that first week, ninety one were 234 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: prank calls. 235 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 2: Oh gosh, I mean, it feels so stupid but also 236 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: so human that as soon as the country gets this 237 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 2: emergency number, people would of course start making crank calls. 238 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, especially after this very sober notice in the evening 239 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 1: News advised the public how to use nine nine to nine. 240 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: It reads, quote only dial nine ninety nine if the 241 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: matter is urgent. If, for instance, the man in the 242 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: flat next to yours is murdering his wife, or you 243 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: have seen a heavily masked cat burglar peering around the 244 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: stackpipe of the local bank building. If you've merely lost 245 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: a little towser or Lori has come to rest in 246 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: your front garden, just call up the local police end quotes, right. 247 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: I love the idea that someone putting their truck a 248 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: little too close to you, know, your azaleas is something 249 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: you should call nine one one about. 250 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,319 Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure I told you this before. But my grandmother, 251 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: of course, Mamma, she would if we'd end up in 252 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 2: a traffic jam. Every once in a while, she would 253 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 2: want to pick up the phone and call nine one one, 254 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 2: and we'd have to stop her from doing that, just 255 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 2: to find out why there was a traffic jam. But 256 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess they were just worried that the 257 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 2: emergency number would turn into this sort of like a 258 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 2: complaint line for cranky citizens. 259 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I guess that's fair. The other thing 260 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: about the line of that time is that the early 261 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: technology wasn't perfect, so when a call came in, operators 262 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: were alerted by this like big flashing red light and 263 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: a claxon, which is one of those like a wuga sirens. 264 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: So if you can imagine multiple calls coming in at once, 265 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: it's kind of nuts. A nineteen fifty one article in 266 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: the Post Office Telecommunications Journal described nine nine nine's early days. Quote, 267 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: when the raucous buzzer sounded in the quiet discipline switch rooms, 268 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: a few of the girls found the situation too much 269 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: for them and had to be carried out. 270 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,559 Speaker 2: That sounds pretty awful, actually, but actually there are a 271 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 2: whole bunch of awugas and flashing lights going on over there. 272 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 2: I don't know if our listeners can hear that, which 273 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 2: I think Dylan is using to tell us it is 274 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: time to throw to commercials. So stay right there. We'll 275 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 2: be back with more Part Time Genius after the break. 276 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 2: Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're talking nine 277 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: to one to one and the various emergency lines around 278 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 2: the world. All right, megol let's jump over to Europe 279 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,080 Speaker 2: and look at their emergency number, one one one two. 280 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 2: How did that come into existence? 281 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: So the idea for one one two started in the 282 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: early nineteen nineties. In July nineteen ninety one, the EU 283 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: decided that all member states would introduce a common emergency number, 284 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: but it wasn't until two thousand and two that one 285 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: one two became mandatory for all EU member states, And 286 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: the number does work in some other places, like Australia 287 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: uses a triple zero for their emergency number, although you 288 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: can also use one one two if you're calling from 289 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: a mobile phone. 290 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 2: Actually, that was one of the things I thought was 291 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 2: most interesting in the research of all of this, Like 292 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 2: if you're abroad and you dial your home country's emergency number, 293 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 2: often it'll just forward to whatever country you're in. Like, 294 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: if you dial one one two here in the States, 295 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 2: it fords to nine one one. 296 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. I actually remember when I was on study abroad, 297 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: this kid on my trip was feeling sick from something 298 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: he'd eaten, and he was like super super dramatic and 299 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: he was like crawling on the floor to the phone 300 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: and trying to dial nine one one. But you know 301 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: it's a landline and then it doesn't go anywhere, So, 302 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: you know, it did make me think, like, I don't 303 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: know what you're supposed to do in emergency situations in 304 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: other countries, but I guess on cell phones have kind 305 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: of solved for that. Yeah, which is a great thing. 306 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 2: It is definitely a good thing. And today we have 307 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 2: what's called Enhance nine one one, which is what ninety 308 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 2: three percent of counties with nine to one one coverage have, 309 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 2: So basically nine one one systems have been upgraded to 310 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: accommodate for wireless calls and they share the caller's location 311 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 2: by iding the closest cell tower to the caller. I'm 312 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 2: sure you've heard about this as well. 313 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel like you hear a lot about that 314 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: on like NCIS type shows, or like in Cereal where 315 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: they're trying to triangulate a caller's location from cell phone towers. 316 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: But that feels like technology that's been around for a while. 317 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: That's true, but nine one one is always evolving. Like 318 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 2: right now, dispatch operators are transitioning to what's called Next 319 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 2: Generation nine one one or NG nine one one, which 320 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 2: will allow us to send things like texts and pictures 321 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 2: to our nine one providers. 322 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: Which is great, but I imagine with all the prank pictures 323 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,479 Speaker 1: that might come to it's probably another opportunity for emergency 324 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: dispatches to remind nine one one users to use it appropriately. 325 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 2: Well, none of our listeners would ever do that. But 326 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 2: here's another interesting thing that I learned in my research, 327 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 2: and again it's an evolution because of a tragedy. But 328 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: you know, if you're in an office, you often have 329 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 2: to dial nine to reach an outside line, right yeah. 330 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: And sometimes in hotels too, right. 331 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, And that's not the case if you're dialing 332 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 2: nine one one. So today, if you just dial nine 333 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 2: one one, it'll connect you. And that's because of this case. 334 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 2: In twenty thirteen, there was a woman named Carrie Hunt. 335 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 2: She was attacked and killed by her estranged husband in Marshall, Texas. 336 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: And this happened in a hotel room, and so Carrie's 337 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: nine year old daughter was in the room and trying 338 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 2: to call nine one one on the hotel phone. I mean, 339 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 2: just such a tragic situation. But she dialed nine one 340 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 2: one four times during the attack, but tragically none of 341 00:16:58,640 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 2: those calls went through. 342 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: That is so awful. 343 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. So ever since then, Carrie's father, a man named 344 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 2: Hank Hunt, has worked tirelessly with the FCC and Congress 345 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: to change the law so that nine is no longer 346 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 2: needed for nine one one calls from these multi line 347 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: systems like hotel phones, business phones, things like that. And 348 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 2: all these efforts paid off in twenty eighteen when Carrie's 349 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 2: law actually became this officially adopted law across the states. 350 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: That you know that that's really sad, but also seems 351 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: so obvious, right, Like, I guess we just don't think 352 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:32,399 Speaker 1: of these things until we have to. 353 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, And because arguably the multi line phone system is 354 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 2: a great technological advancement, but it didn't integrate naturally with 355 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 2: the nine one one system. And it's kind of the 356 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 2: same things with like smartphones and watches, but but really 357 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 2: more in the opposite direction. Like they've almost made calling 358 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 2: nine one one too easy. 359 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think it's funny that every time I shut 360 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: my phone off, it offers me the option to call 361 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: emergency services, which you know is obviously a good thing, 362 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: but sometimes it does feel like my phone wants me 363 00:17:58,400 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: to call nine one one. 364 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, like, like you said, built in nine 365 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 2: one one features and smartphones are a net positive, but 366 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,360 Speaker 2: they've definitely led to an increase in the accidental nine 367 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 2: one one calls. For instance, in India, for some reason, 368 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 2: if you or your kid or your pocket presses the 369 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 2: side button three times, your phone will dial one one two. 370 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: That's crazy. I go to India like every other year, 371 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: and I had no idea about this. 372 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 2: Glad that you haven't accidentally called nine or one one two, 373 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:26,919 Speaker 2: I guess in that case. You know, in some smart 374 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 2: watches now include fall detection, so if your watch thinks 375 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 2: you fall in and can't get up, it will call 376 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,439 Speaker 2: nine one one, which is a great safety feature. 377 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so smart. It's like such a boon for 378 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: people like us who might be worried about you know, 379 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: your parents or your in laws. 380 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, but you can also imagine how it might cause 381 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,959 Speaker 2: some problems too, Like at one Idaho ski resort this 382 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 2: past winter, this place called Schweitz Or Mountain, the sheriff's 383 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 2: office saw this dramatic increase in unwanted nine to one 384 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 2: one calls and people that were skiing and snowboarding and 385 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 2: they were just wiping out, which was triggering all this 386 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 2: fall detection on smart watches and it just kept calling 387 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 2: nine one one. 388 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: That's incredible. They just have to stay on the bunny hill. 389 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: If you're wearing a smart. 390 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 2: Watch, that's right. But sometimes it doesn't even take a 391 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,199 Speaker 2: fall to trigger this automatic emergency call. So there's this 392 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 2: Reddit post from a person in Europe who Samsung Galaxy 393 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 2: dialed one one two when they took it off, and 394 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 2: this is what it said. Quote, I took my watch 395 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 2: off and threw it on my bed because I went 396 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 2: to take a shower. Well, my watch interpreted that is falling. 397 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:31,880 Speaker 2: One one two called me like four times, and when 398 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 2: I heard the fourth call, I ran out to answer 399 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 2: the phone. 400 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: That's crazy, and I feel like running out all soapy 401 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: with shampoo and your eyes might actually cause a spill 402 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: that makes you need to call nine one one. But 403 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: to your point, obviously, unintentional calls aren't a great thing, 404 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: especially since there's a nationwide shortage of nine to one 405 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 1: one dispatches right now. 406 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 2: Oh that's interesting. Why do you think there's a shortage. 407 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 1: So a lot of reasons, you know, burnout from the pandemic, 408 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: long shifts, overnight shifts, low pay, high stress, all of 409 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: that is contributing. But the volume of calls is also insane. 410 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: I mean, this number is all over the place online, 411 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,479 Speaker 1: but supposedly America's nine to one one system receives an 412 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: average of two hundred and forty million calls annually, or 413 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 1: an average of over twelve hundred calls per minute. 414 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 2: Oh wow, that is insane. 415 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I hadn't even processed how hard the job is. Like, 416 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: I actually read this memoir. It's called Answering nine to 417 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: one one by Carolyn Bourou. I think her name's pronounced, 418 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: But she's talking about how people always want to hear 419 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: the types of calls she answers at parties, and it 420 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 1: just makes her pause every time because like, actually, the 421 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: most interesting calls, she says, are the saddest ones. So 422 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: this is what she writes. They are the stories where 423 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 1: mothers and fathers fail their children. They are the stories 424 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: where friends and lovers do awful things to each other 425 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: because of drugs or alcohol or worse, for no real 426 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: reason at all. Where they are the fascinating ways that 427 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: some people lose their grip on reality. Interesting, yeah, but 428 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: not amusing. And she talks about trying to hold it 429 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 1: together on a call where this girl has called because 430 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: her mom has tried to commit suicide, and how she 431 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: has to ask like where the gun is and what 432 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: type of gun she used, and if the mom is 433 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: still alive, And you know, those calls just have to 434 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: be devastating, and you know, as an operator you kind 435 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,480 Speaker 1: of have to hold it together until after the shift 436 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 1: when when she says she would like, you know, release 437 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: and cry. 438 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 2: It's one of those things I can't imagine. It's just 439 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 2: it's heartbreaking. 440 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, And the lower staffing levels across the country also 441 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 1: increase the burden on the remaining dispatchers, which makes them 442 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: more susceptible to the burnout. So it's really this vicious cycle. 443 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: And also since twenty twenty, in the wake of George Floyd, 444 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: there's been a perception of nine one one as an 445 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: enabler of the police. So these days there's a growing 446 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: interest in alternative dispatch or alternative response programs that send 447 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 1: public health and crisis intervention workers instead of cops to 448 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: intervene with certain calls. And it's interesting when you look 449 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: at the numbers because of the approximately two hundred and 450 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: forty million calls made to nine one one every year, 451 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: only a small fraction are for serious or violent crimes. 452 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: The majority are calls like disorderly conduct and noise complaints, 453 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,640 Speaker 1: suspicious people are cars, and mental health issues and also 454 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: things like substance use and homelessness, and so you really 455 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: don't always need police as first responders. 456 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, there is this tendency to think of 457 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 2: police as kind of like this all purpose, you know 458 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 2: force there, but they actually are only trained in very 459 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 2: specific ways, and like you wouldn't call the cops to 460 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 2: put out a fire, so it feels weird that we 461 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 2: would call them to deal with a drug overdose or 462 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 2: something else that they're really not equipped for, not trained for. 463 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:40,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, And alternative dispatch programs deploy public health professionals and 464 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: crisis workers to situations involving mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness, 465 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: so in other words, people who are specifically trained to 466 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: resolve those emergencies. The Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab 467 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: the GPL, is working with fifteen jurisdictions across the country 468 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: to develop and pilot some of these alternative responsestem right now, Yeah, all. 469 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 2: This it does sort of highlight how knee jerk calling 470 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 2: nine to one one can be, like whatever the emergency 471 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 2: might be, actually there's this funny instance from September of 472 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three when the US Marines actually called nine 473 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 2: to one one to report having lost you know what 474 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 2: they lost? They lost an F thirty five fighter jet. 475 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: It's not like you lost a cat or something. 476 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 2: No, it's crazy, and it's it's just wild to read 477 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 2: about this story. But eventually they found the pilot, but 478 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 2: somehow not the jet. So if you see an F 479 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 2: thirty five just roaming around your neighborhood, maybe slip a 480 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 2: note to the Pentagon, just just let them know. 481 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: Well, should we do a quick round up of funny 482 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: nine one one calls from dispatchers on Reddit, because that 483 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: would be a better way to do our fact off. 484 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,640 Speaker 2: I think we all know this is what this episode 485 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 2: has been building too, So let's do it all right, 486 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 2: Why don't I start with a classic straight from red quote. 487 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 2: Lady called in because she thought Willie Nelson was having 488 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 2: a cardiac arresque in her trailer and she needed an ambulance. 489 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 2: I started giving her CPR instructions, and come to find 490 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 2: out when paramedics got there, she was doing compressions on 491 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 2: the couch cushions. Apparently she was just really. 492 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: High tale as old as time. So I like this 493 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: one quote. A concern citizen called in an animal stuck 494 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: in a tree, and that animal was a bird. 495 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 2: Oh, just stuck. I had another fun animal call quote. 496 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 2: Middle of the night shift, get a report of a 497 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 2: guy trying to ride on a moose. Officer attends there is, 498 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 2: indeed a male trying to ride said moose. Male is 499 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,120 Speaker 2: wearing high visibility vest and helmet, which his girlfriend made 500 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,640 Speaker 2: him put on for safety reasons. Of course, I like that. 501 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: That's actually a moose there in that scenario. Yeah, so 502 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 1: this is another animal one quote. I talked to a 503 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: pizza delivery guy who couldn't reach his destination because a 504 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 1: defiant chicken was standing in the middle of the road. 505 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: I stayed with him on the phone as he pleaded 506 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: with it to finally move along. Truly a chicken crossing 507 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: the road moment. 508 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, I see why they would call nine one. Why 509 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 2: that does sound sound terrifying? So yeah, all right, So 510 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,199 Speaker 2: I'm gonna end on this one because I really love it. 511 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 2: It is so brazen. Here we go. Quote. Got a 512 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 2: call from one of the managers at a bowling alley 513 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,119 Speaker 2: complaining that their ice machine was broken and it's a 514 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,199 Speaker 2: really busy night, and if someone doesn't come to fix it, 515 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 2: there will be no cold drinks. I mean, to be fair, 516 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 2: no cold drinks at a bowling alley is an emergency. 517 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 2: So you know this one seems maybe legit thinking more 518 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 2: about it, anyway, what are you gonna end on, Mango? 519 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: I mean, if you think about there will be blood 520 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: that bowling alley is seeing. You know, turns dangerous when 521 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: there's nothing to drink. 522 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 2: Say it's legit now. 523 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 1: I love the nine one one calls from kids who 524 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: are calling to complain that their siblings being mean to 525 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: them or won't share their legos. But I think my 526 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 1: favorite one is about a kid and a mom. Uh 527 00:25:58,840 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: so this is how it goes. 528 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 3: Quote. 529 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: A frazzled mother called because her six year old had 530 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: gotten onto the roof and she couldn't get him down. 531 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: She kept screaming about how we need to hurry, not 532 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: because she was worried he would get hurt, but because 533 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: he had done this before and the last time he 534 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: peed in the air vents. 535 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 2: All right, Well, nothing like a little pee in the 536 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 2: air vent to seal a fact off. It's a cheap 537 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 2: way to win it, Mango, But I'm gonna have to 538 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,199 Speaker 2: give you this week's trophy. So that's it for this 539 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 2: week's Part Time Genius. If you like the show, want 540 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 2: us to cover any topics, or just want to say 541 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 2: hey to Dylan or tell him to take it easy 542 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 2: on the hot sauce, we always love hearing from you. 543 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,119 Speaker 2: Just look for the contacts in the show notes. 544 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 3: But as always, thanks so much for listening. 545 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. 546 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: This show is hosted by Will Pearson and me Mongas 547 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: Chatikler and research by our goodpal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's 548 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: episode was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan 549 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,959 Speaker 1: with support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced 550 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: for iHeart by Katrina Norbel and Ali Perry, with social 551 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,959 Speaker 1: media support from Sasha Gay, Trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shorey. 552 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 553 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.