MY BLOG: Haleigh Cummings and family

Friday, February 20, 2009

Haleigh Cummings and family

I can't get this family out of my mind. This family is under an unbelievable amount of strain.

Pray they stay strong and focused.

Pray they don't let their anger take over their senses and that they maintain a united front.

Pray they lean on each other and the police as much as possible.

Pray they don't let the speculators get to them. Those people don't have a clue as to what this family is going through.

Pray they find the S. O. B. who has taken this little girl. Whether the person be male of female to inflict this kind of pain on a child and her family he/she has to be evil. Sadly it could be more than one person.

Deep breath.

I must be healing. For a long time after we lost Denise I wasn't able to let other people's pain in. I was oblivious to the world around me. I'm still pretty oblivious but apparently not as oblivious as I was. I couldn't handle any more additional pain at the time.

Now, I just get so angry at people. I wasn't able to follow the Caylee Anthony story while Caylee was missing. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. I wasn't angry then. I was oblivious and numb. When people were speculating about the mother Casey, I blocked it out and stayed away from it. That story was so bazaar. Still is. I could feel myself getting angry with that family and that was wrong. We still don't know the whole story and until we do, I'm going to continue to do my best to not judge them. I simply don't understand them. It's so so terrible what they are going through.

I'm just heartbroken for the Cummings family. Their lives (they probably don't realize it yet) are now changed irrevocably forever.

Major sigh. It just saddens me.

Dear Denise, if Haleigh is with you, please rock her! But then if she's up there, you probably already are. Miss you, Denise.

Attn: Cell Phone Users

I'm adapting this from a pamphlet Mark picked up from the California NENA conference out in San Diego.

When Dialing 9-1-1 From Your Cell Phone

1. Call only for immediate emergency assistance - medical, fire, or police.

2. Be prepared to provide your location and any essential information the dispatcher may need.

3. Stay on the line until told to hang up. You may be transferred to another agency.

added edit

Cell phones cannot "text" 9-1-1. During the Virginia Tech massacre, many students tried texting 9-1-1 because they were afraid the killer would hear them.

Do not assume 9-1-1 can find you when using a cell phone. Cell phone signals go to the nearest "available" tower.

IMO, always call 9-1-1 in an emergency unless you are sure others have already called.

And, IMO, if you are distraught, if possible have a neighbor or other family member call 9-1-1 for you. They will most likely be able to listen and give clearer instructions.

Help Reduce Unnecessary Calls

Use non-emergency numbers for your local law enforcement agency when you do not need immediate assistance.

If medical, fire or police are already on scene, it is not necessary to call 9-1-1 again. Instead, call a non-emergency number if you have additional information and witnessed the incident.

Do not call 9-1-1 for non-emergecy incidents (i.e., requesting road conditions, asking why traffic is backed up, requesting driving directions, or other similar reasons). Be prepared; contact your local FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) office directly, using a non-emergency number.

Use or maintain a landline at home and at work for 9-1-1 calls, as the dispatcher is more likely to get accurate location information from a landline.

Using 9-1-1 in non-emergency situations prevents critical emergencies from being attended to.

DID YOU KNOW?

Almost everyone in the U.S. owns a cell phone and some households do not use a landline at all. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made daily nationwide.

Far too many cellular 9-1-1 phone calls, both non-emergency and repeat calls for the same incident, are tying up the 9-1-1 phone system. This results in unnecessary busy signals, disconnects, and delays in dispatch time for ture 9-1-1 emergency calls.

Not every 9-1-1 call is answered by your local law enforcement agency. Cell phone providers try to calculate you approximate location using cell towers or satellite positioning. If they cannot, the call will likely default to the Florida Highway Patrol and then be transferred to the appropriate agency. This means that non-emergency or repeat calls are wasting critical minutes or dispatchers' time.

If you call 9-1-1 from you cell phone or an inactive phone, your phone number and location information may not be available to the dispatcher. Know your surroundings (street address, landmarks, mileposts) when calling 9-1-1. This will save valuable seconds in an emergency.

Avoid accidental 9-1-1 calls

Accidental cell phone calls can congest the 9-1-1 phone system. Accidental calls occur when the phone is placed in a pocket, belt clip, or purse, and a pre-programmed emergency button is bumped. Even a locked phone can dial 9-1-1.

Help Avoid Accidental Calls With the Following Tips

Do not hang up on an accidental 9-1-1 call. Inform the dispatcher that the call was an accident before you hang up.

Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into your or your child's cell phone's speed dial. This can lead to accidental calls.

Teach your child how and when to dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone. Train them to press 9-1-1 and the "send" button only in an emergency.

Even cell phones without active service can dial 9-1-1. Take batteries out of cell phones before recycling them or giving them to a child to play with.

Don't call 9-1-1 to check to see if you cell phone works. 9-1-1 is to be used for emergency calls only.

MY BLOG

Friday, February 20, 2009

Haleigh Cummings and family

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Attn: Cell Phone Users