The UK's Welsh Ambulance Service have shared their most "inappropriate" calls in the last year. According to the National Health Services trust, "of the 426,116 calls to the ambulance service last year, 63,836 (15%) were not a life or death emergency – an average of 175 calls a day."
"Our emergency ambulance service exists for those whose life is in imminent danger," says Andy Swinburn, Executive Director of Paramedicine. Being locked out of your house is not in that category.
The following are just a few transcripts of real calls received by the Welsh Ambulance Service and shared here:
Call 1
Operator: Tell me exactly what's happened.
Caller: I got my finger stuck in a beer bottle and it will not come out.
Operator: Is your breathing normal for you?
Caller: Yes.
Operator: Are you bleeding or vomiting blood?
Caller: Nope.
Operator: Do you have any pain?
Caller: Yes, in my finger, yes.Call 6
Operator: Is the patient awake?
Caller: Yeah, it's an alligator.
Operator: Pardon?
Caller: It's a pet alligator. It's got loose and I'm scared to death. I don't like it. I do not like it. I think it's under the sofa.
Operator: Right, OK, we won't be able to send an ambulance for an alligator that's escaped.
Caller: Right, so unless I get bit?
Operator: Unfortunately, we can't send an ambulance for an alligator. Perhaps you can ring your vet?Call 8
Operator: Tell me exactly what's happened.
Caller: I stuck my finger in a plug socket, and I felt no effect but I'm ruling out if I electrocuted myself.
Operator: In a plug socket?
Caller: By accident, without thinking. And I'm worried that I could be electrocuted.Call 12
Operator: Tell me exactly what's happened.
Caller: I'm locked out of the house and I'm trying to get in.
Operator: So, what's the reason for the ambulance?
Caller: I'm cold and I'm trying to get into the house.
Operator: OK, so you're cold?
Caller: Yeah.
Previously:
• Here are the dumbest 911 calls of last year
• 911 call featuring a kid who just needed some help with his math homework
• Please stop calling 911 about cicadas