CHICAGO SUNTIMES SLANTS STORY AGAINST CHICAGO 911 OPERATOR

Why is this complaint even a news topic? Oh Fran? Kevin Smith is the media go to man at OEMC.

July 12, 2007
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Brigitte Biver called 311 about 9 p.m. on July 4 to report illegal fireworks so deafening that they sounded like they were exploding right over her Norwood Park home.
When Biver was transferred to Chicago's 911 emergency center, she thought she would get an even quicker response. Instead, all she got was laughter -- hysterical laughter.

Briggitte then tries to grasp at straws by saying this, "She didn't know what I was calling about. Somebody could have been having a heart attack here. If it had been a life-or-death situation where seconds count, that's very dangerous. It's highly unprofessional in any setting," Biver said. We know it was not a life-or-death call and so do you and we don't really know the full story only the Suntimes slant. What we do know, is the Suntimes should have reflected the over whelming calls 911 was getting and what was really being done in Norwood Park.

This is just another example today, of slanted media reporting. Shame on Fran and the Suntimes family group.

Here is Smith's comment at the end. "Fireworks are illegal and they are dangerous. We received thousands of calls -- as we should have," Smith said. Our comment: Were sure the 911 operator handled their massive call volume as well.

'HELLO? HELLO?' Fireworks complaint gets no response, Is this not the the same Norwood Park? DID it not get a response and a big one at that? You be the judge. Read the below story printed in the same paper the very same day as Frans story ran. WOW!

Illegal fireworks fizzled, cops say
July 12, 2007 By ALAN SCHMIDT Staff Writer, this story from the Suntimes also:
There were hundreds of people wrapped around a large open area at Hiawatha Park July 4, anticipating what police said was going to be a large-scale illegal fireworks display.
What they got instead was a view of a patrol car that was hastily stationed in the middle of the park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve Drive, to discourage anyone from lighting the first fuse.

It was all part of an effort put together by Jefferson Park (16th) District Cmdr. Ralph Price to put a stop to some major, informal fireworks shows before they started. In the weeks leading up to Independence Day, Price, along with district personnel, put together a priority list of the "hot spots" that were the sites of previous pyrotechnic extravaganzas. Price also met with school principals and Chicago Park District staff to ask for their support. The large, open spaces needed for many of the less-than-clandestine shows can be found on the grounds of the district's 52 schools and 37 parks.

Then added to the story is this:
Price joined a 15-member team of officers whose sole job was to keep tabs on each of the hot spots and respond to fireworks-related calls. He said officers squelched what had become an annual event with fireworks followed by vandalism of school property at Canty School, 3740 N. Panama Ave. Some of the other schools police were paying attention to were Beaubien, Dever, Edison Regional Gifted Center, Norwood Park, Onahan and Taft High School.

Now the important part of this real story:
Price said officers made several trips there in response to calls to 911. He admitted that curbing the enthusiasm people have for fireworks, whether they are illegal or not, is a "daunting task."

He said he was happy to report that there were no major illegal fireworks displays, no fireworks-related injuries, no fires caused by fireworks and no violence related to fireworks. Congratulations 911 and District Officer's, job well done!
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/edisonpark/news/464820,ed-16fireworks-071207-s1.article