That 119 operator THE EDITOR, Sir: PLEASE ALLOW me to share an incident that took place on Tuesday, June 5, at approximately 12:30 p.m. As I walked along the sidewalk at the intersection of West Kings House Road and Waterloo Road, I noticed a small group of people gathered around a person prone on the ground. When I reached them they told me that the man had apparently collapsed and was lying unconscious in the noonday sun. Since I lived close by I indicated that I would call 119 and bring some water. When I dialled 119, I informed the female operator that I was calling to request emergency assistance at the corner of West Kings House and Waterloo as a man was lying unconscious on the sidewalk. "Where are you?" the operator asked. "The corner of West Kings House and Waterloo." "And what is the problem?" "A man is lying unconscious on the sidewalk." "West Kings House and Waterloo, you say? Oh, don't worry about that man. We are very familiar with him. He is there all the time and if you go to help him he will get up and beg you for money. He is there all the time." Now, as I stated, I live in the area and am very familiar with the 'mad men' and beggars who frequent the area, and I had never seen this man before. Not that it should have made any difference. "Ma'am", I said, "Could you please send some assistance. The man is in need of some attention." "No, we are not going to come. This man does this all the time and we are not going to come." At this point I could scarcely believe what I was hearing, so I asked the women, "could you please tell me who I am talking to?" She replied, "No, and we are not coming. We know this man." "Ma'am, could you please give me your name?" "Sir, I am going to hang up." And she did. I took the water out to the man and by this time a larger crowd had gathered. Together we administered slow drinks of water and continued to try to make contact with 119 by cell phone. Shortly, a policeman in an unmarked vehicle arrived on the scene and we were able to put the partially revived man in the rear of the vehicle to be transported to hospital. I am still hoping that there must be some explanation for the response of the 119 operator. I would hate to think that this is the normal procedure for our emergency personnel. On the face of it, however, there seems to be something wrong when those who are given the responsibility to 'protect and serve' can cavalierly decline to come to the aid of a person lying by the road on the premise that he is 'just another beggar'. Have we learned nothing from the Montego Bay Street People incident? Do we still not understand that regardless of our station in life we are all human beings deserving of some basic dignity and respect? God have mercy on us all. I am, etc., RON GOOD Kingston 10
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