So about 10 minutes ago while in bed sorting music and reading the news I heard a gunshot followed by two more then two guys who sounded like they were yelling from afar. Not quite sure what was going on and chatting to Mark at the time I just randomly ask if he thought if it was worth calling in. Typically, he says sure, so I do. Figured what the hell, was probably nothing but it couldn’t hurt since I could use a real test of the 911 service with Vonage. It’s a shame I didn’t have it on speakerphone and recorded it. But it went something like this:

• Lady 1: National Emergency Fire, Rescue, and Police can I verify your address is x on Old Redmond Road, in Redmond, Washington.
• Me: Yes that’s correct.
• Lady 1: What’s the emergency.
• Me: Just heard 3 gun shuts and what sounded like two men yelling from the street.
• Lady 1: Okay sir, let me transfer you over to the Redmond Emergency Fire, Rescue, and Police. Please hold the line.
• Me: Okay.
• Hold: Kenny G – Theme from Dying Young plays. And yes I kid you not it was actually Dying Young. Oh the irony.
• Lady 2: Redmond Fire, Rescue, and Police, what’s your emergency.
• Me: Almost about to open my mouth and speak.
• Lady 1: Yes this is the National Emergency line with a transfer from Corey at x on Old Redmond Road in Redmond.
• Lady 2: (Can’t quite remember exactly what she said) okay, transferring to Bellevue Police.
• Lady 1: Sir, please hold the line while we’re transferred.
• Me: Yep.
• Lady 3: Bellevue Police, what’s the emergency.
• Lady 1: National Emergency line with a transfer and report of gun shots on Old Redmond Road in Redmond.
• Lady 3: Okay sir, please provide me the details of the incident.
• Me: Oh I just heard 3 shots which sounded as if they were coming from the road and then a male (possibly two) with what must’ve been yelling from the road.
• Lady 3: Okay, thank you sir, it looks like we’ve had other calls regarding this. Thank you for reporting it.
• Me: No problem.
• Lady 3: Thank you, good night.
  Click

About 15 minutes later I get a call from what I figure is Redmond dispatch (Lady 4) requesting a little more info for the officer that will answer the call. Provide the same details again and verify my apartment number.

Now 20 minutes since the initial call as I’m sitting in the dark writing this post the officer knocks. Repeat the details, show him general direction in which the supposed shots and yell came from. He says they’re not too sure yet if they were actually shots and they’ve not found anything yet. Not surprising. Whatever. I’m tired and this being Redmond and this sort of thing being just about unheard of maybe it was just someone shooting a beer bottle or something stupid after having a little too much to drink.

As for the entire 911 experience. I can’t really say if I’m satisfied or not. I mean, the one time when I had a proper land line and had to dial some years ago things were immediate with no transfers and someone on the scene within 5-10 minutes. The entire Kenny G on hold via the National Emergency line was absolutely insane. Granted the type of call I placed wasn’t an immediate emergency for myself and it’s just a report of a possible emergency. I can’t quite say I’d feel comfortable with being transferred 3 times if I was the person who was shot and needed help.

So quite interesting regardless. I’ll have to reread the E911 information that Vonage has sent me in the mail recently. IIRC basically, it spells all the information out in some long terms of service. There’s a cover letter stating that Vonage is in the process of rolling out E911 service nationwide and that they’ll notify me of when E911 becomes active. Coupled with 112 from my mobile I’d say there’s plenty of ways to contact the emergency response.

Actually, just got me thinking, I wonder if in any areas they’ve enabled SMS reporting of emergencies…

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