When you call 911, you expect someone to answer fast — and maybe not be ordering a McGriddle mid-crisis.
A man in Chatham County, Georgia is speaking out after a frustrating emergency experience that left his wife feeling unsafe — and him wondering if dispatchers are really taking their job seriously.
Earlier this year, his wife called him in a panic while he was at work. Someone was snooping around their house, banging on windows and doors. The couple knew the person, but it was still a threatening situation. So the husband first tried calling the county’s non-emergency number — no answer. He then called 911.
And then he called again.
And again.
It reportedly took three calls and six minutes before someone finally picked up.
But when the dispatcher finally answered? The husband says he could hear her ordering breakfast at McDonald’s while talking to him. Yep, mid-emergency, she’s out here placing a McGriddle order.
By the time police got to the house, the trespasser was gone.
The husband has since obtained audio of the call and is now pushing for accountability from the county. Chatham County officials say the dispatcher’s actions are “under review” and admit something like this should “never happen.”
And this may be part of a bigger problem: County data shows that nearly 1 in 4 emergency calls were abandoned last year — meaning the caller gave up after no one picked up.
So, while one dispatcher might be under fire, this could be pointing to a wider issue inside the call center.
McGriddles? Sure. But maybe not during life-threatening emergencies. 👀
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