Scrappycow sent me this article about 911. It is a frigging eye opener, thanks!

1999 saw 26% of 911 calls originate from cell phones, while the number today has tripled to over 75%. With the signal bouncing off of cellphone towers all over the place, it can be more difficult to use a computer system to locate callers. The most reliable way to ensure 911 has the right address is to call from a landline, but even that isn’t flawless. Frequently, dispatchers must rely on descriptions of landmarks and other local information.

When You Call 911 and Nobody Picks Up. – The Development Set.

Besides the obvious part that we can’t do much directly to improve the system and beating the old cowbell of being prepared to keep a victim alive till advanced help arrives, I realized I have forgotten one detail: The information that you need to pass to 911 so help can arrive as fast as possible.

So, what kind of information do we need to have for sure when calling 911 (or ordering to call 911 if your hands are gloved and busy) so help arrives fast and accurately? I contacted the hive mind in Facebook where I am lucky to know rescue personnel and cops and right there you got another inkling of the 911 problem: The answers tended to be as varied as the systems for processing the calls and who was responding which tended to be full computer systems with “smart” algorithms to old school checklists.

But if anything, everybody agreed on two main things: What is the nature of the emergency and Location. 

The first one is simply resource management that need to be understood:  Not all calls require the same equipment and personnel or all of it as you are not the only person going through shit. Your fiancée might be in pain after breaking a leg and needs to be taken to a hospital, but little Jimmy who fell of the balcony, hit his head and is unresponsive has the priority no matter how much it pisses you off. It is called triage.

tri·age: The assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties.

Now, be accurate. do not exaggerate the injuries just to get  Responders faster. Don’t be an asshole that way. There is a reason you trained and are prepared to help somebody.

Next is location and trust me when I tell you, this one is not as easy as it seems. If you read the article, you are now having a newfound respect for the shit sandwich that directing help toward your location can be. Now, you are not helping if you do not accurately inform 911 where you are. Sure, if you are home and your neighbor’s house catches on fire, routing the Fire Department is a piece of cake. But how about the car accident in the middle of a highway you take very day and suddenly realize you have no idea which mile marker you are or in between what exits you might be because you don’t use them? Can you even tell if you are north/south/east/west bound? Are you in control enough to find out and even include some landmarks to help navigation?

After that, just answer the questions you will be asked as best as you can. It seems every department has a different set of questions and procedures and it is just better off follow the flow that anything else. But Nature of the Call and Location appear to be universal. Get that info fast and accurate so you can relay it the same way.

I just got the news that Bob Owens of Bearing Arms is no longer with us. If you are interested in the details, you can search them yourself, I am not sharing.

My only interactions with him were electronic and social media. But I clicked with the guy and I found him funny and he would take it as well as he would send them.

I am sorry I will never have the chance to meet him face to face. It is my loss and we in the Gun Culture are diminished by his passing.

Rest in Peace, buddy.

To work it out I let them in
All the good guys and the bad guys that I’ve been
All the devils that disturbed me
And the angels that defeated them somehow
Come together in me now
Phantom’s Theme (Beauty and the Beast) from Phantom of the Paradise.
Paul Williams.

And I understand that the NRA had the duty to do a peppy PR against the onslaught of bad (fake) press we get every day.  But Florida Gun Owners have to be very clear we were betrayed by the GOP and specifically Senate President Joe Negron who did not have the legislative nuts to bring back into the corral, soon-to-be-departing Senator Anitere Flores.

What we got this session were two patches and a discount. This was supposed to be the year of Open carry, of Campus Carry and possibly reducing Gun Free Zones. but instead we got 2 coats of Bondo on fucked up fenders and a $5 gift certificate to be applied on our next purchase in the State Renewal Store.

Ladies and Gents, I am not a happy customer.

Here are other things that did not happen this past weekend that we know of: The police did not see someone legally carrying a gun and mistake them for a criminal and shoot them. No innocent bystanders were shot or killed by gun-wielding private citizens. No gun-carrying individuals shot anyone. No one got mad at anyone and shot them in anger, because they had a gun handy. There were no gun fights between the fans of Glocks and those who prefer 1911’s. No guns were taken from their owners and used against them. No guns jumped off tables and attacked anyone. No high capacity magazines killed anyone. No children handling firearms were hurt or killed. And – most hard to believe – not one person fired his gun in the air in celebration of something said from the NRA stage.

81,846 NRA Members Showed Up…and Nothing Happened – Townhall

Unfortunately, Atlanta PD does not commune with CrimeMapping.com which is my To-Go resource for Before/After comparison for the NRA AM. There are other sources but they proved to be both less flexible and reliable.

Anyway and knowing that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior, I have the suspicions that Atlanta’s criminal element gave a wide berth to the Georgia World Congress Center area during our little soiree.

…here is a video of his smarter cousin:

A follow-up on J. Kb’s post:

We have the diploma!

Via Wirecutter, who else?