Now it is quite simple to figure out what is going on in case of emergency by knowing a series of little codes. I remembered this while I was at one of my contracts as a “Code Blue”, warning was issued over the public address system. A code blue is a BOMB threat. I lost about two and half, if not three, hours of my day where I could have been doing something useful. Unfortunately, I had to wait anyway; I couldn’t leave without my equipment.
To my surprise, the bomb was really just a hoax and did not go off and reduce my equipment and the building to mere rubble. Instead, the Chattanooga Bomb Squad destroyed the “object.”
I am glad I remembered the meaning since the a majority of the staff did not, though the codes are mentioned in the required the Universal Precautions Safety Course for school staff. Going back through the materials of the course myself, I feel the need to mention some of the other codes: White = Accident, Red = Fire, Black = Inclement Weather, Green = Hostage, Orange = Chemical Spill, ADAM = Missing Child, Brown = Shooting.
Looking at these codes I can’t help but think that for the most part these codes where put together to keep the general public from going into a panic. I can’t help but to think that a few of these are a little redundant. Couldn’t a shooting, fire, chemical spill also be an accident? I realize that the other modifier might weigh a little more, but wouldn’t it also be nice to know that Bob the hunter shot the clerk because the clerk was too stupid to realize a shell was in the shotgun Bob was “testing out,” or the building was about to burn down because little Johnny Pyro lit the trash on fire emptying the ashtray in the smokers lounge?
Hmm, fire, that brings up another good point: what do you call over the public address if there is a multiple chemical spill which combusts? Better yet what code do you call if someone doesn’t pay attention and throws empty chemical containers in a trash compactor and the containers combust? What then, why even bother with the codes since the meaning should be common knowledge. Why hide the truth? After all, with a little research you can find just about anything.
We get these surveys and we all put in canned one liner answers. And honestly, how many times do you have to answer the same question about what color your underwear are or how many times in the last 3 weeks someone else has slept in your bed?
No, I’m not on a high horse. I am one of the most guilty individuals that I know. If I am bored at work or have nothing to do and there is a survey sitting there in the bulletins, it’s like a train wreck. I have to look. And then, before I know it, I am committing a crime against all that is right in the world and tap, tap, tapping my keyboard, filling in the answers.
Apparently, this nutjob, California Tae Kwon Do-mom would like the Cops to enforce “Your Way, Right Away” at Burger King…
“Ma’am, we’re not going to go down there and enforce your Western Bacon Cheeseburger … that’s not a criminal issue.”
Fortunately, her calling 911 and tying up resources is a criminal issue. Unfortunately, they apparently didn’t bother to arrest her. That might have taught her kids not to be such spoiled little brats.
What do you bet she was driving a mini-van?
In a weird way, it reminded me of an EMS training call from Houston several years ago. (Language Alert! — but it’s soooooo worth it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BQW-0dpNrA
The original was sped up before considerably before being broadcast on the Art Bell Show (remember him?), so the voices ended up sounding as far from their original southern drawl as possible…
Several operators who received the training call were unsure whether or not the event was real, which makes it even better. This is what a good EMS instructor should do — it weeds out those operators who can’t handle the stress.
SayUncle: Let’s get the question everyone is wondering out of the way: are you retarded?
Senator Finney: Uh, no.
Oh yeah, that rules. 😉
The “Yeah, God put those [dinosaur] bones there to test our faith,” bit was hilarious. I can remember hearing that when I was a kid from several people, being that I was such an avid Paleo-archaeologist at the age of six.
The simple explanation was that there couldn’t have been any dinosaurs, since they weren’t mentioned in the Bible. Strangely, neither were Planets, Meteors or Giraffes, so they must not exist, either. *shrug*
