While we all know first responders have among the most traumatizing jobs in the world, we must admit that 911 operators can surely tell some scary stories from their job. In a recent Reddit thread, some of them decided to share weird and hilarious calls they got and their stories are simply epic!
Get ready for stories of people calling for help when seeing a wet deer, reporting in ghost hauntings, witchcraft, or witnessing duck fights. Yes, we said duck fights….
20. The Killer Alligator Ready to Strike
“Female: There are alligators in the river.
Me: Yes ma’am, this is Florida.
Female: But my kids play and swim in that river.
Me: Why do you let your kids play and swim in alligator infested waters?” – Reddit user BizzyM
Some people shouldn’t be allowed to have children if they let their kids play in the exact river where you’ve seen alligators swim around…
19. Reporting in a Ghost
“My dad used to work as a 911 call operator.
He says the best (or at least the strangest) was an old woman who regularly used to call in saying her house was either being haunted or broken into – she was never quite clear. Apparently, nearly every day she would go up into the attic and find a new half-finished canvas painting (before it mysteriously vanished a few days later).
It turns out it was her husband, who had been secretly painting at night all through their marriage (and running a business selling some of these paintings). He had always kept it a secret from her, fearing she would see it as ‘unmanly’ – but in his senility was forgetting to hide away the paintings in the day.
I think she helped running his business and when he died, she took up painting herself as a way to remember him.” – Reddit user wanderingpixelhead
This is quite an unique story, and what makes it really strange is that the man hid his hobby for so many years, not knowing his wife would actually support him. We must all agree that seeing paintings in the attic and then seeing them vanish is quite unsettling…
18. The 911 Call Ends With a Marriage!
“When I was a kid I called 911 really quick and then hung up, just to see what might happen. The first responders showed up, talked to my mom, realized everything was fine, and I got off with nothing more than a stern talking-to.
It had a happy ending however since one of the first responders ended up dating and eventually marrying my mom. They’ve been together happily for over two decades now.” – Reddit user Misanthrope_penguin
Nobody saw it coming, right? A little kid’s curiosity got him in trouble, but he did end up winning a father in the process!
17. Asking for a Deputy Knowledgeable in the Mystic Arts
“I once got a call from a man who wanted to file a report because he believed his daughter was doing witchcraft on him and he only wanted a deputy that believed in witchcraft to assist him.” – Reddit user Cuzimawesome86
If you’re wondering whether you should put all the little details about yourself in a CV when applying for a job, then you should know, it can one day help you. What if there actually is a deputy that knows all about witchcraft? Next time, he should call for one of the Winchesters!
16. Witnessing a Special Moment
“Man calls to say his wife is in labor and they’re driving to the hospital now. I advise them to pull over (way too far from the closest hospital) and let medical personnel meet them.
He’s telling me he sees the head. I’ve barely gotten the medical protocol program going when he says “oh my god! The baby’s out! She’s here! The baby’s here!” I could hear the baby crying in the background. So I switch over to the post-birth protocol and make sure everyone’s good as the fire truck shows up and I get off the phone. […] To be able to hear that new baby cry and know that everyone was okay and happy made it the best call ever.” – Reddit user ohTHATone
It's moments like these you realize why you’ve chosen to work as a 911 operator. This is how they get repaid: knowing they did their best so that the person who needed help is safe.
15. Why Am I in a Tree?
“Best call I heard was one about an extremely elderly gentleman stuck up in a tree.
He had climbed up to the top of this big maple tree and then forgotten why he was up there. He refused to try to come down, and I guess when the first responders got there quite a few of the neighbors were standing around with blankets in case he fell. The fire department eventually got him down, although I guess he was kicking and complaining the whole way.” – Reddit user benevolent_penguin
Again, you don’t hear these stories every day. That man was really skilled at climbing the tree, considering his age. You have to agree it’s more than impressive!
14. Kid Has No “Boo-boo”
“I work in EMS billing and occasionally have to read the written narrative of ambulance calls. […]
The ambulance crew responds to a report of a 4-year-old that “hit a car” when chasing after a ball. He seems ok when they arrive, but the parents want the ambulance crew to look him over just to be safe. So they check for internal bleeding, age-appropriate behavior, no broken bones etc. Everything is looking good so they ask him how he feels and he says “I’m ok, but my ball has a boo-boo!”
So they check the ball for internal bleeding, age-appropriate behavior, no broken bones etc. and tell the kid “your ball is OK!” before returning to the ambulance and leaving.” – Reddit user Dubanx
That has to be the sweetest event the ambulance crew had that year! Thankfully, nobody had a boo-boo!
13. Poor BEEFALO!
“I’m a former jail officer for a small county jail. Dispatch was in the same building so I used to sit and talk with the dispatchers and hear calls that came in.
The best one I heard was a guy who started out the call with “I HIT A ______ BEEFALO!” (cow/buffalo hybrid) Dispatcher and he share a laugh and she asked if the car was disabled and blocking the road.
He said “NO. I RAN OFF THE ROAD AND ENDED UP PAST THE FENCE WHERE THE ______ BEEFALO OUTTA BE!” – Reddit user earnedmystripes
This story is so hilarious we couldn’t keep a straight face, even though we’re so sorry about the poor… cow? buffalo? We really hope that animal (whatever it really was) was all right…
12. Power of the Sexes
“The funniest call I ever saw was a lady called in wanting officers to intervene at a local lake. She said that two male ducks were attempting to drown a female duck.” – Reddit user PsychoStryder
This is a representation of patriarchy exercising their power over women, oppressing them.
11. Someone’s Seen Too Many Doomsday Movies
“Working in FL during a small hurricane. A lady in a rich condo in the rich people part of town calls because her AC is out. I explain to her that: yeah, there’s a hurricane, and she explains in a panic that her windows don’t open and she’s running out of the air. I try to explain to her, but she tells me she’s using up her air and hangs up.” – Reddit user gunmedic15
This woman probably thought that without an AC or a window open, she would run out of air in a few hours. How do these people breathe and think at the same time is a mystery.
10. Airplane Stops Working, Now What?
“I was at a small, private airport and met with an officer responding to a 911 call. It was a windy day out and apparently a woman had called the police to complain about a plane that was “stuck in the air.” It was just a small, underpowered plane struggling to make forward progress in the wind. The cop was laughing the whole time as he was “investigating” this “stuck” airplane.” – Reddit user MSchumi101
What would the officers do to help unstuck a flying plane? We can’t think of any other way to respond to the woman request, and the answer “we’re investigating the issue” is surely more than enough for this confused woman…
9. The Wet Deer Problem
Caller: A deer just swam across the river behind my house.
Me: Okay?
Caller: Well I am worried it might be cold.
Me: …Well, there is nothing we can do about a deer being cold. Didn’t it run off after swimming the river?
Caller: Yes.
Me: Well ma’am it’s a wild animal and I’d guess it’s going to be fine.
Caller: Ok” – Reddit user NodePoker
It’s comforting knowing people are considerate about animals’ wellbeing, but we forget wild animals are built to survive in the wilderness and deer don’t get cold after swimming the river. Try not to steal those essential moments a 911 operator could use to respond to a real emergency.
8. Man Gets Harrased… by Police Officers!
“Had a drunk person call to report he was being harassed. Truth was… He was being arrested by our officers for throwing pizza at people.
All I heard in the background was one of my officers saying to him “that better not be our dispatcher on the phone” followed by some muffled talking and my officer taking the phone and saying “he will be taking a ride with us now” and hung up.” – Reddit user tkokilroy
Well, that was certainly an entertaining 911 call for the responder that got to talk with the officers. The call probably made the dispatcher’s day!
7. Peanut Allergy?
“Had a lady trying to call an ambulance because she opened a package from Amazon at home and she was afraid that her kid was about to have a major allergic reaction from the packing Peanuts, because the kid was allergic to peanuts, and when her kid mentioned what they were called, she freaked out.” – Reddit user Random-Miser
We are 100% you will not get an allergic reaction to packing peanuts. However, we do not recommend eating them either!
6. Disappearing Microwave Emergency
“Guy lived in a rooming house that had a public area where all the residents could hang out. It had a microwave in it provided by the landlord. Guy called 911 around midnight one night because the microwave wasn’t there. […]
Dispatcher: “So… you called 911 because a microwave you don’t even own is missing? Did you ask your landlord if he took it?”
Guy: “Uh, no.”
Dispatcher: “Well, that’s not an emergency, sir.”
Guy: “But I’m really hungry.” – Reddit user Shaydu
This guy has his priorities straight. It was an emergency because he was hungry, and the 911 dispatcher was so cruel not to offer any assistance! The nerve on that guy!
5. Really Old Husband
“So this elderly woman calls 911 and it goes like this:
“Ok, ma’am what is your emergency?”
“If my husband has a stroke should I call you?”
“I’m sorry you said your husband having a stroke ma’am?”
“Oh no, he’s fine, I just want to know if I should call you when he does”
“…ma’am is he showing any signs of stroke? Unusual speech? Facial distortion? One side of his body not working?”
“No deary none of that, he’s just getting old and I want to know if that would be an emergency.” – Reddit user DanHam117
You’d expect elderly people to know when to call 911 and don’t keep the line busy. This woman should have known better and ask their healthcare provider for advice.
4. Cracking the Chimney Fire Emergency Mystery
“Volunteer firefighter here. Long story short, get a chimney fire call. Go to the address. Old lady greets us with confusion. Tells us she just lit a fire in her fireplace. Check the chimney, fine. Check the house, fine. Check the fireplace, fine. Ask dispatch if the call was from home address, she says it was a cell phone. The old lady didn’t make the call. OFW a random passerby called in a chimney fire because smoke was coming out of a chimney.” – Reddit user Haiku_lass
Some people just don’t think well enough before talking, but to be that ‘smart’ and call 911 when you see smoke coming out of a chimney is definitely taking stupidity to a whole new level.
3. Attacked By a Bee
“Had someone call because a bee was in their car. The person wasn’t allergic or anything, but there was a bee flying around. PD got on scene and opened the door and the bee flew out. Problem solved.” – Reddit user IcyYes
Let’s face it, wherever we had a spider in the house, we asked others to take it out. But we have never thought to call 911 for help! Unless there was a queen bee in the car and her hive is following her - which really happened in the UK back in 2016.
2. Christmas Emergency Solved
“6:30 am Christmas morning. 9-1-1 goes off. ‘9-1-1. what’s your emergency?’
Breathless, panicky voice ‘How do I get the cranberry sauce out of the can without it coming out in chunks?’
‘Open the other end and slide it out on a plate.’
‘OH! THANK YOU! You are brilliant!’” – Reddit user malloryparker
And this is why people need to Google stuff more often instead of calling 911 for these issues.
1. When You Require an Ambulance
“Worked at a Level 1 trauma center. We had a guy come in with his wife after demanding that an ambulance transport him to the hospital. He was less than two blocks away. All he had was a broken finger.” – Reddit user benevolentbearattack
Poor guy had a finger so broken he couldn’t walk for nearly two blocks! He definitely needed to be brought in with an ambulance.