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911 Dispatcher Falls Asleep During Emergency Call In Maryland (AUDIO)

First Posted: 06/18/12 08:46 AM ET Updated: 06/18/12 08:46 AM ET

Falling asleep on the job is always a bad idea, but it's a whole lot worse when you're a 911 dispatcher.

A Maryland woman noticed her husband was having trouble breathing on April 4, according to the Daily Mail. When she called 911 for help, the operator connected her to an ambulance dispatcher.

After the call was transferred, however, the distraught woman was met first with silence, then with audible snoring.

"Hello? Hello?," the caller said without getting any response.

The original operator realized the woman was receiving no help, and jumped in to take over the call, ABC reports. However, confusion ensued when the original operator thought that the snoring sounds were being made by the woman's husband.

Six minutes into the call, the ambulance dispatcher awoke and asked the caller for her address. The woman's husband was taken to a hospital, and he ultimately recovered. Luckily, no complications resulted from the delay, the New York Daily News reports.

The dozing dispatcher, whose name hasn't been released, was 17 hours into a 24-hour shift when he nodded off. Officials put him on paid administrative leave, according to KDSK. Assistant Chief Scott Graham says that in his 24 years on the job, "This is the only time a dispatcher has ever fallen asleep on a 911 call."

 
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04:25 PM on 05/29/2012
County of HIGH TAXES and strong Unions. Thanks, Democratic Party ! ! !
04:14 AM on 05/29/2012
UNIONS HARD AT WORK! OOPS, I MEAN SLEEP!
01:04 AM on 05/24/2012
Hey you...WWWAAAAKKKKEEE UUUUPPPP!!!!
03:26 PM on 05/23/2012
“17 hours into a 24-hour shift” seriously does anybody think that was a good idea for a 911 dispatch operator. They shouldn’t fire the guy, they should fire his supervisor for allowing those kind of working hours.
10:54 AM on 05/29/2012
17 hrs into 24 hrs shift does a body bad in a badway this is outrageous should fired supervisor for doing this to one of those employee
03:05 PM on 05/30/2012
I have worked as a dispatcher before in a medium size city (1 million). We were encouraged and sometimes required to work overtime, which meant double shifts or an extra half shift, but that means 16 hours tops, never would you work more than that. 17 hours into a 24 hour shift is absolutely retarded for a dispatcher. The only reason fire-fighters work 24-hr shifts is because they can get sleep in between calls, where as a dispatcher can never fall asleep they always have to be alert and ready. I agree that whoever allowed 24-hr shifts for dispatchers there is an idiot and should be fired.