Being put on hold can be annoying.
Generally speaking, it isn’t the end of the world when it happens. And most companies that do place you on hold play music to entertain us while we stay on the line, because, as I’m sure we all know, our patience is appreciated and our business is important.
That being said, there is one instance where I believe a person should never be put on hold.
9-1-1.
The number is there to provide us with assurances that in an emergency, in a true life-or-death situation, the proper authorities will be dispatched with all haste.
Or so I always thought.
A friend of mine recalled a situation that occurred a couple of weeks previous wherein an individual was displaying signs of substance intoxication and their behaviour caused a number of people to express concern.
Unfortunately, when the emergency number was dialed, this friend was put on hold for 15 minutes before they got fed up and disconnected.
I understand there are times when the centre may be overwhelmed due to a higher-than-expected number of calls.
However, the Minister of Health has previously said that the province would be hiring more dispatchers to handle the influx of calls this summer, partially due to the fact that it is Canada’s 150th anniversary.
If that is the case, why the long wait?
I don’t know about you but I find it a tad disconcerting to hear something like that.
In a real emergency, every second counts.
Who wants to watch a loved one suffer while elevator music plays in your ear?
I don’t know what the real answer is here unfortunately.
If the province is hiring more people for the call-centre, kudos to them but is it going to be enough? I don’t know.
Maybe its time for someone to start a petition or for more of us to start calling our MLA’s and Alberta Health, asking for clarification.
The truth is, when it comes down to it, nobody should be on hold when they dial 9-1-1.
