This is an article written for the #inleo writing prompt series for the Day 18 prompt ....
This prompt could be described as tough in an emergency..
Catch the original announcement in this thread
day 18! Have you ever relied on technology during an emergency?
Digital Lifestyle invites you to share your experience!
This topic ... brings back a funny memory now, but was life and death at the time!
A birthday treat
Around ten or fifteen years ago or maybe somewhere in between,well I know it was a July 10th!
Ach fluff it pull up a seat and let me tell you a story...
In America you call a fishing rod a pole ....
So Mrs T wanted a fishing pole for her birthday and I duly bought her one.
We were visiting family in Montrose on the East coast of Scotland and decided to go along to the rocks near the lighthouse to fish.
I got some bait, put the big dog on a lead and got the rods and tackle and away we set.
source my worldmappin page
I have put the map down as it is part of the story...
So the family lived in Ferryden south of Montrose ..
We walked along the beach in the direction of Scurdie Ness. You will see there is a fluffing lighhouse at Scurdie Ness...
Wolfie was an Alaskan Malamute and yes she looked like a wolf...
We walked along the beach which was rocks and this ran parallel to the road which was on top of cliffs.
Right I think we have set the scene.
We stopped at one point, and I cast out my rod to no avail and caught nothing. Mrs T was holding the lead for the dog.
So I said let her off the lead and let's go closer to the lighthouse onto the rocks where it should be deeper water and see if we can catch some codling. A beautiful white fleshed fish.
So away we went and had got to where I wanted to go. The tide was high and coming up the rocks, I put a limpet on my hook and cast the line into the water.
I saw Wolfie come running like crazy towards us and the next thing I knew was hearing a scream and a thud.
Mrs T had slipped on the rocks and fallen down, but oh deary me her foot was behind her and not where it should have been.
It was obviously broken. I had left my phone charging at home, so the only phone we had was Mrs T's new light blue Samsung flip phone.
The only reason we took it was it was easy to fit into her jeans hip pocket.
The only problem now was that she could not move to get into her pocket.
So after a struggle I managed to get it out....
Dial 999 in case of emegrency....
Well fluff me I phoned the emergency services and they were fcking idiots.
In the UK we use a post code which is way better than a zip code, each post code only applies a to a few houses or a building.
I explain to the emergency operator who was not in the UK where we were and our predicament.
They said what is the postcode I have to have a post code or I can't send an ambulance....
By this time the water was lapping at Mrs's T feet, I was concerned to put it mildly, she luckily did not notice as she was in so much pain.
The operator and I were now exchanging words.
I was it is fuk off big lighthouse with a light on it at the edge of cliffs. IT is hard to miss.
Yes but what is the post code....
Round and round it went, until I got someone else who was in the UK and looked up a map and said they would have an ambulance in ten minutes....
Water around her ankles and on her bum
Fifteen minutes later and no ambulance....
I was starting to worry.
Next thing Wolfie starts growling and baring her teeth as a wolf does.
Scary thought I and looked up...
Abseiling down the cliffs were men dressed in blue, they were from the local coastguard and they realised the problem.
Wolfie though was freaking out, I had this fking pole and mad dog...
Mrs T meanwhile was shouting where's my pole
The coastguards manage to move her clear of the water....
Eventually 2 ambulances turn up and then give Mrs T morphine.
Who by now had turned into an even bigger comedienne than normal....
She had the coastguard and ambulance men in stitches with her I am stranded whale on the beach routine...
She was driven to a hospital in Dundee. The surgery took almost six hours and she had titanium plates and rods galore. The surgeon said it was a mess and he had not seen anything like it!
Sad thing is that was the end of her passion with hair, she could not stand on the leg for long periods. So we ultimately sold the salon in Edinburgh after being robbed silly by staff that were allegedly friends!
If no smart phone there would be no Mrs T
Bottom line if there was no way to get help then she would have drowned...
Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed my response to the prompt.
Sources and Reference documents
This article is an entry for this month's Inleo writing initiative #septemberinleo
You can find all the details in this thread
Today's prompt is Day 18 | Tech in an Emergency 📱
All ramblings are from me, the mad Scotsman TengoLoTodo unless otherwise stated, photographs are all orginal and taken by me the author.