Alexandria Simpson

JRN 270

Peaco

05/05/2010

After John Hiblick’s son died from drinking and mixing prescription drugs, the 911 call his father had made was released to the media, which intensified Hiblick’s grief.

Recently many states have been looking into a bill that would ban the release of 911 calls to the public. While some people consider 911 calls public information, there are many supporters of the ban, including Hiblick and Linda Casey, both of whom have had 911 calls released due to the death of a child.

“There’s no reason to exploit someone that way,” Hiblick said. His son died by drinking and mixing prescription drugs. Hiblick said that the event has brought on a lot of pain. He has made it a personal goal to ban the release of 911 calls, especially in Florida, where he lives.

“This was not only the most painful thing I have ever been through; it should have been the most private,” Casey said to MSNBC news group. MSNBC has released an article that states that the releases of 911 calls have made people hesitant to call.

Recent events that have made national attention revolving around 911 calls are the SeaWorld incident and the death of a child star, Cory Haim. Haim’s mother’s call to 911 was released to the public and broadcast. The audio depicts a mother begging for her son to breathe and asking the 911 operator where the ambulance is. The controversy is whether these phone calls should be considered private and personal.

Many people in the Unites States feel differently when it comes to the banning of 911 calls. Bradley Wilson of Arkadelphia, Ark., Shawn Stapleton of Hot Springs, Ark., and Theresa Brown of Kansas City are all U.S. citizens who have had to call 911. Both Wilson and Brown said that they feel that their 911 calls were personal and should be kept private. Wilson said that the release of his 911 call would be violating.

“When I had to call 911, I was frantic and felt very helpless, desperate for help. I wouldn’t want others to listen in on my vulnerability at the time,” Wilson said.

“They don’t need to know that, not that,” Brown said. She has had to call 911 multiple times due to her husband’s many seizures.  Brown said that the intense feelings and agony she feels during each episode is something that shouldn’t be used as entertainment.

Although many people have spoken against the release of 911 calls, there are still many people who see the release of 911 calls being helpful.

“The release of 911 calls can be helpful, we can use them to train dispatchers and to help them learn techniques that comfort the caller in their time of need,” Stapleton said. He is a volunteer firefighter for Piney Junction Fire Department, and whose mother is an emergency dispatcher for Life Net. Stapleton said he feels 911 calls shouldn’t be fully released; Stapleton said that they should be shared with certain people who can improve the efforts of dispatchers and workers instead of being released for entertainment purposes.

“I absolutely feel the release of 911 calls is important,” said Abby Wuellner, a reporter for KY3, a news station in Springfield, Mo. Wuellner said that the release of 911 calls gives the public the most accurate account of what was going on during any given event. Wuellner said that 911 tapes put the audience in the moment and they can experience the situation.

The feelings toward the release of 911 calls seem to be split. Some people find it to be a positive reinforcement and others feel as if it is negative.

Breakouts

Facts box

http://www.springfieldmo.gov/spd/PoliceData/policecalls.html

Shows how many 911 calls have been made in Springfield Mo and why the call was made. More for interest.

Facts Box

http://www.nena.org/911-statistics

Different ways to call 911.