911 Operators Offer Advice to Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch Members

In a community where citizen complaints (valid or not) about 911 call-takers and 911 dispatch decisions are heard with regularity, the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch (GRNW) took action and invited two 911 representatives (Oscar Torres and Garfield Ridge resident Melana Raehl) to speak at their September meeting.

Plenty of detailed, straightforward, useful advice---as you'll see from the 17-minute video.








Also invited to say a few words at the meeting was Chicago Fire Department Captain Charles "Chuck" Maes, who spoke about a range of topics, including carbon monoxide--- a timely topic now that cooler weather is approaching and people are keeping their home windows closed.







Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure.

The next meeting of the GRNW is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 15 at Wentworth Park. Invited guests are expected to be 14th Ward Alderman Edward M. Burke and 13th Ward Alderman Marty Quinn, whose newly remapped wards include portions of Garfield Ridge.  For more details on the crime prevention and neighborhood improvement group, visit GarfieldRidgenw.com.

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