With so many people being slammed with surprise medical bills following a medical emergency, it must be nice when your hospital and insurance company both tell you that your huge bill will be taken care of. Then all that goodwill goes out the window when you still end up with thousands of dollars in medical expenses. [More]
emergency
17 Passengers, Crew Member Taken To Hospital After American Airlines Flight Stops Mid-Takeoff
By 7.22.16
An American Airlines flight bound for Philadelphia suddenly aborted its takeoff at Palm Beach International Airport Thursday afternoon because of a possible fluid leak, sending 14 passengers and three crew members to the hospital. [More]
Uber Now Has An 800-Number For Non-Emergency Situations
By 3.11.16
Since Uber began shuttling people from one place to another with the tap of an app, we’ve heard stories about rides gone wrong — assaults, harassment, and hostage situations — that often end with the customer having a difficult time reaching an actual human working for the ride-hailing company. That’s apparently changed, as the company quietly issued an phone number for passengers to contact them back in October. [More]
FBI: American Airlines Flight Attendant Deliberately Set, Put Out Fire In Plane’s Bathroom
By 3.3.16
Federal law enforcement officers have arrested an American Airlines flight attendant accusing him of deliberately starting a fire in the plane’s lavatory, and then extinguishing it himself in a supposedly heroic action. [More]
Dynamic Airways Plane Catches Fire On Florida Runway
By 10.29.15
Seven people were injured and three taken to the hospital after an airplane caught fire on a Florida runway Thursday afternoon. The incident marks the third time in two months that an aircraft has caught fire before takeoff. [More]
Allegiant Airlines Plane Is Second To Catch Fire At Las Vegas Airport In Two Months
By 10.13.15
For the second time in two months, a commercial airplane full of passengers caught fire at the Las Vegas airport. An Allegiant Airlines flight bound for Fresno was evacuated after a fire broke out in the plane’s engine. [More]
Fire Department Called To Untangle Girl’s Fingers From Target Shopping Basket
By 5.4.15
A trip to Target turned into quite the ordeal for a young Michigan girl over the weekend when the local fire department had to be called to unsnarl her fingers from a shopping basket. [More]
FCC Wants First-Responders To Know Exactly Where 911 Calls Are Coming From
By 2.21.14
No one wants to be in a position where calling 911 is necessary, but if the situation does occur we’d all like to think first-responders could easily find us. But that’s just not the case now that more consumers are using cell phones to make emergency calls. Especially when those calls are being made indoors, out of the view of GPS satellites. [More]
FEMA Food May Contain Salmonella Peanut Butter
By 2.5.09
Food kits distributed by FEMA as part of a disaster relief effort in Kentucky and Arkansas may contain some of that awesome salmonella peanut butter we’ve been hearing so much about.
Angry, Intoxicated 1st Class Passenger Uses Emergency Slide So He Doesn't Have To Wait For Coach
By 7.9.08
An intoxicated first class passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Guyana became so angry that coach passengers were allowed to exit before him that he “yanked open an emergency hatch and slid down the chute,” says the AP.
American Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing Due To Engine Fire
By 9.28.07
A passenger on the flight, Lane Harris, told MSNBC that he credited the pilot for bringing the plane in as smoothly as possible, although the landing was rough.
Chicago Woman Calls 911, Hears Hysterical Laughter Then Is Hung Up On
By 7.12.07
A Chicago woman called 311 (non-emergency police services) to report illegal and dangerous fireworks exploding over her home. She was transferred to 911 where she was greeted by hysterical laughter.
Cellphone 911 Is Crappy At Locating You
By 4.23.07
If you’re calling 911 from your house, use your land-line. If you don’t have one, be prepared to give your address or location to the 911 operator. Why? From USA Today:
Owing to limitations in Emergency-911 technology, the dispatcher probably won’t be able to pinpoint your location. Unless you can get to a pay phone — not an option in this case — you’ll probably have to give the dispatcher detailed information about your location so emergency personnel can find you.
