I had to call 911 today.  And not the kind of call where you’re driving by an accident well after it’s happened and you call just to make sure they know about it.  I was the actual first responder.  Now, I understand that this kind of thing happens all the time.  I’m not naive.  This is the first time, however, that it’s really ever happened to me.  I’ve seen accidents and been involved in an accident (dislocated my elbow in a wrestling match in high school), but I’ve never actually been the one on the phone with the 911 operator taking instructions until the real first responders arrive.

I didn’t even really realize what was happening at first, but before I knew it I had my phone out and was head-long into a conversation with the operator.  Holy crap!  And all those things I learned in all the first aid/CPR classes I’ve taken came rushing right back (and in the proper order, too).  I was pretty happy about that.

When it was all said and done, though, I had some thoughts on the situation:

1. All I can think of now is “how is she doing?”
2. There needs to be a quick-dial emergency option on the iPhone (or any smart phone for that matter).  So many features and apps can be buried inside a smartphone these days so it would be nice to have that option if, and when, you need it.
3. Perhaps some sort of option for the person who calls 911 so they can decompress afterwards.  There’s no way that the situation I saw today was the worst it gets so I’m sure that some people who call 911 could use someone to talk to afterwards – considering how pumped up I was.
4. That part in the movies and TV shows where somebody inevitably shouts to the crowd of people “back up, give her some space,” that’s pretty accurate.
5. How’s she doing?

And there had to be at least somebody on scene who looked up and thought “now who’s that insensitive jerk who’s taking the picture?”  That’s my therapy I suppose.