“729, 211,” the dispatcher said as she called us for a crash.
“729,” I repeated back.
“729, 211. 902T, 2900 W. Lost Street. One vehicle is in front of the apartment complex.” (I made the Lost Street name up)
“729, 10-4.”
Here’s the problem. I wasn’t paying attention to what she said. I was going 40 mph with both windows down when the call went out. For some reason I thought she sent me to 2900 “East” Lost Street.
I was in the northern end of the city so I jumped on the freeway and headed eastbound. I took another freeway and went southbound, which put me in the “correct” location in less than five minutes.
I must’ve been day dreaming because I pulled up to the apartment complex at 2400 E. Lost Street for some reason. I don’t know what I was thinking.
There were no crashed cars there so I asked the dispatcher to do a recall. I parked and waited.
After a few minutes, the dispatcher came back on the radio and told me the RP (reporting party) was still waiting at the location.
I glanced up at the apartment complex and realized I was in the wrong spot. I typed a quick message to the dispatcher, telling her what I had done. I also said, “By the way, they’re not here either.”
I hauled butt to 2900 E. Lost Street and still couldn’t find them. What the heck? That’s when I paid attention to the call on my computer screen for the first time. Oops!!!
No wonder they weren’t there. The call was at 2900 West Lost Street. My GPS must’ve looked hilarious on the dispatcher’s screen going in all different directions.
After I finally pulled my head out of my ass, I was able to find the correct location on the other end of the city. Of course, it seemed like I got every red light on the way there. Oh well. What can you do?
It’s not the first time I went the wrong way and it certainly won’t be the last… You just have to be able to laugh at yourself.
S%#t happens.
Badge415 
LOL! We’ve all made a few wrong turns in our lives!
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I’m just glad I didn’t clear the call saying I was unable to locate.
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Haha did this one time on a 914A call.. Saw my partner going code 3 the opposite way of me.. I quickly figured it out and turned around.
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Haha. I’ve done it a few times. All with quite funny results.
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“Where am I going?” I ask myself that all the time. I do not have time to wonder about my manner of conveyance though, but a hand basket seems an awfully strange way to travel.
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I did this for a job interview once. They had two locations. One was on 3rd Avenue and 5th Street. The other was on 5th Street and 3rd Avenue. I KID YOU NOT. What sort of sadistic company DOES that? And it wasn’t my fault; I actually went to the address they GAVE me…it was just the wrong location…I didn’t get the job but I feel like I dodged a bullet there.
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Haha. It might’ve been a blessing in disguise.
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It absolutely was!
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I don’t even want to think about how many time I have done something like this in 30 years. Was not as embarrassing in the good old days (no MDC, GPS tracking by dispatch) much easier to say traffic was s@*&…
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I know what you mean. There are plenty of stories to talk and laugh about for sure.
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Oh man!! I can tell you, from my point of view, that it can be quite funny to watch a GPS going the wrong way on the CAD screen!! I can’t tell you how many times I have had to correct a unit (rookies & vets), to them give some direction. I guess that is why they call us “Control”!!
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haha, I bet it is funny.
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Oops, I should have proof read better. My comment should have read, “to give them some direction”…..LOL!!
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