Tweet: We need an ambulance

[jmur5074]

ATLANTA --
An Atlanta city councilman used Twitter to help save the life of a woman who suffered a seizure in northeast Atlanta.
Kwanza Hall tweeted instead of dialing 911 Friday evening when he spotted a woman in need of medical assistance at the corner of John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Jackson Street.

He said he used Twitter because his cell phone battery was running low and he didn't want to end up stuck on hold with 911.
“Need a paramedic on corner of John Wesley Dobbs and Jackson st. Woman on the ground unconscious. Pls ReTweet,” was the message he sent out on the social networking Web site.
Within seconds, dozens of Hall's Twitter followers sent out the message to their followers and several people called 911 to report the emergency.
Earlier this month callers complained of sitting on hold while a southwest Atlanta home burned to the ground.
Things were different this time, thanks to Twitter.
Paramedics arrived in time to rush the unconscious woman to Grady Memorial Hospital. Doctors said she had suffered a seizure.



Atlanta Councilman Chooses Twitter Over 911 to Report Emergency

[Terminator]

Not sure I understand how him calling 911 and waiting on hold would be slower than tweeting others, who tweeted others, who called 911, and then presumably held. Anyway, what better time to once again shamelessly promo our O/R Twitter page!

Officer Resource (OfficerResource) on Twitter

[GASheepdog]

Numerous people called 911 after seeing the tweet, tying up multiple lines as opposed to just one.

If the councilman is that concerned about being put on hold when calling 911, he should put more energy into finding ways to end the furloughs for city of Atlanta employees that have decimated the manpower of the already understaffed public safety departments. Instead, he is spending his time going from one interview to the next and soaking up the local media admiration for his "heroism."