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by Mike_Lowe from FOX 6 Milwaukee

Last Post 157 days, 20 hours Ago


Cell Phones and 911
May 2, 2008 | 1:40 PM
Category: News
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We broadcast a story last night about Brittany Zimmermann, a 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Madison student who was murdered on April 2 in her apartment.

The investigation has raised many questions, but we now have learned a startling new detail: before Zimmerman was killed, she called 911 from a cell phone. 

The emergency dispatcher apparently heard silence and hung up.  Then -- in contravention of policy -- failed to call back .  

The police were never sent to investigate.  Later that afternoon, Zimmermann was discovered dead in her apartment by her boyfriend.

The incident raises some painful questions: could a better response have saved Zimmermann's life?

But one thing stuck out: the cell phone call. 

Madison emergency officials said that police are sent to the locations of every 911 call placed from a land line.

Authorities we spoke with say it takes more time to track cell phone locations (although most newer cell phones are equipped with tracking technology as required by the FCC.)

So here are my questions for you:

Should police be sent to every 911 call?  What responsibility does a busy dispatcher have to follow up on a "hang up," "silence," or "abandoned" call?

It also seems more and more people have totally given up on land line phones and now only have cell phones?  If you fall into this category, does the Zimmermann story make you think twice?





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Member Comments Total Comments: 5
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garageman read my blog view my photos
May 2, 2008 | 4:36 PM

I gave SBC/ATT the heave-ho several years ago and I rely on my cell phone. So, YES I think all 911 calls should be responded to. I'm counting on it! If they can send search parties to a mountain top because someone who went climbing simply turned his phone on, the police can be dispatched when someone dials 911 on a cell phone. The 911 call center appears to have dropped the ball on this one and there's no excuse. Somebody ought to be in deep trouble.
Aravynandrea read my blog
May 2, 2008 | 9:47 PM

As the sister of 2 cops, yes all 911 calls should be taken seriously.

For some reason someone calls 911 in hopes that will be enough. they can't always talk if they are hiding from an intruder.

I'm hoping there will be better tools added to cellphones for 911 now that a lot of people are making that switch. (After this story I'm not quite there yet.)

but my cellphone does have GPS.

It frustrates me and my brothers when we hear stories of 911 operators who hang up on little kids calling for help assuming its a prank call, 911 operators snoring on the other line, and 911 operators not doing their job and dispatching a cop assuming simply because no one is on the line and doesn't answer the phone when they call back means it was a prank.

Too many people have lost their lives that way.

Look at that one little boy who called because his mother was dying, and he had to not only watch his mom die from heart failure, but he got yelled at by the 911 operator for "pranking" her, and be threatened with having a police officer come arrest them.

Dispatchers need to be better trained, and and more serious discipline need to be taken rather than the lame excuses they make for these "mistakes"
Earwig read my blog
May 3, 2008 | 8:21 AM

Every 911 call should be investigated. Those found to be bogus should be heavily fined(excluding extenuating circumstances)for wasting police resources. The operator in this case? The Zimmermann family should sue this person for dereliction of duty.
desertwindrider read my blog view my photos
May 3, 2008 | 9:29 AM

It is part of the busy dispatcher's/operator's job to investigate EVERY call that comes in to 911. There is a reason people call 911. They need help. Taking 911 calls is serious business and you accept that job knowing this. It is not uncommon for people in seroius situations to be advised to call 911, but not say anything, depending on the situation. Sometimes the person cannot speak to the 911 operator due to illness or because it is not safe for the caller to do so. This is why EVERY 911 call is taken seriously and the call is tracked down and there is a police response. Silence on the other end of a 911 call means that someone is in trouble. Ignoring a 911 call or giving the caller a hard time is completely unacceptable.
aaro-nf read my blog view my photos
May 3, 2008 | 1:58 PM

first of all, i would like to say welcome to the blogging family, mike_lowe. i did see the story and i was like why did they not trace her call from a cell phone before she died? they should not have hung up on her. they should have asked her where she was and try to trace her call from there. great job on the posting fo this blog.
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Mike_Lowe

Award-winning reporter Mike Lowe joined Fox 6 in March of 2008 as a general assignment reporter. Before he came to Milwaukee, Lowe was the the Easton-Phillipsburg Bureau Chief of WFMZ-TV (ind.) in Allentown, Pa. There he covered eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. Before joining WFMZ, Lowe lived in Berlin, Germany, where he worked for Deutsche Welle TV and Radio, reporting on Europe’s response to United States foreign policy and the European view of the presidential election, among other topics. Before that, he worked as a general assignment reporter for WLNS-TV (CBS) in Lansing, Michigan, covering politics and the auto industry. While Lowe’s career has focused mainly on public affairs journalism – including stints at WTTW-TV (PBS) in Chicago and as public affairs director and host of the live call-in program “Feedback” on WNUR-FM in Chicago – his background also includes somesports reporting experience. He has served as a sports reporter and fill-in weekend anchor at KTKA-TV (ABC) in Topeka, Kansas; sports director of WNUR-FM, and on the production side for ESPN, FOX Sports, and WGN-TV. Lowe’s reporting has been honored. He was nominated for a Mid-Atlantic Emmys in 2006 (feature) and 2007 (writing). He won a 2006 AP award for feature reporting. In college, a national first place Mark of Excellence award from the Society of Professional Journalists for in-depth radio reporting. He also won several regional and state awards. Lowe is the winner of the prestigious Newton Minow fellowship, named for the nation’s first FCC chairman.

Member Since: 4/3/2008


 

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