If You Could Pay for a 911 Service -- Would You?

cjewell

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Oct 11, 2004
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I often wonder with the amount of foreigners living in the Sosua area... if a private 'North Amercian' style company (not one of the Dominican Watchy services) -- were to offer a subscription based 911 service based on a minimum required membership (eg. mininmum 200 home/condo owners agree to sign on) --- would you pay monthly for that... and if so, how much?

Just curious - I have often thought that if there were one I would pay for it. Even in the context of having an accident in the apartment and needing to get to the hospital. Or hearing someone trying to break in etc... to scared to check outside etc...

It is kind of crazy that if something does happen -- there really isn't anywhere to call :S
 
Jun 18, 2007
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www.rentalmetrocountry.com
"A private North American" style company with American employees or Dominican ones?
Would an American work for let's say RD500 per day? Probably not so that would mean one would have to work with Dominican ones. Hmmmmm so where would be the difference then? ;)
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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there are private ambulance companies but in case of emergencies you'd be better off loading the sick person into a car or even a taxi and going directly to the hospital.
as far security goes, many gated communities have private security.
 
May 5, 2007
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I often wonder with the amount of foreigners living in the Sosua area... if a private 'North Amercian' style company (not one of the Dominican Watchy services) -- were to offer a subscription based 911 service based on a minimum required membership (eg. mininmum 200 home/condo owners agree to sign on) --- would you pay monthly for that... and if so, how much?

Just curious - I have often thought that if there were one I would pay for it. Even in the context of having an accident in the apartment and needing to get to the hospital. Or hearing someone trying to break in etc... to scared to check outside etc...

It is kind of crazy that if something does happen -- there really isn't anywhere to call :S

Only if there were an emergency :laugh:

A subscription based fire department has been tried in several US areas with disastrous result Not everyone would sign up and when afire occurred at a house of a non payer the FD let it burn, lawsuit still pending There have been others where non payers called and begged for service when their houses caught on fire, offering to immediately pay Not a good idea unless 100% participation is mandatory
 

zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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Nope. Human nature is that it will not happen to me and I will not need such a service. Just my opinion.
 

zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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Not much new news of the new 911 service other than flooded with prank calls. A modern well run ems 911 response system is very expensive. I would not expect much here.
 

keepcoming

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May 25, 2011
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Even if it was a "North American" company they would still depend on the services here provided by Dominicans..ambulance, fire dept, police, etc. And those services are already sketchy as it is. If there was a way around that then it may work.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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You forget that you are in the Dominican Republic where neighbours help significantly more than in other countries. When I was shot someone called 911 which didn't work. They called the police but their phone had been disconnected as they hadn't paid it. So a group of Dominicans and Haitians carried me to the local private clinic who didn't want to help, draped me over the back of a motoconcho to go to the nearest town, and then managed to find a jeep, driven by a Dominican who didn't know me, to take me to the local hospital. All of those who helped me turned their T shirts inside out so the police would not see the blood. Nonetheless several were arrested. If you have a problem here, your neighbours will help you out.

Matilda
 

RandyLRM

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May 21, 2014
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In the states, most folks pay for 911 as a fee on their phone bill.

The important thing to remember is that e911 is a component of an overall EMS "system" and to be effective, all of the component parts have to work. So, would I pay for just e911? probably not. Would I pay for an effective EMS system? Yes.

The prank calls issue is not unique to the DR. Back in my law enforcing days, we had to go on all 911 calls. The vast majority of which were either pranks or accidental (babies are great at dialing "9-1-1" in sequence). For those who remember pagers, it was common to page someone with your number+"911" if you wanted a fast call back. I actually went on a lady once that called 911 because the person who paged her just put "911" on the page. It was pretty hard to keep a straight face when I explained to her that it was unlikely that "911" would page her.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I have a "Private Security Service' here in Santo Domingo.
It's a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

PS, I'm 67 and can STILL take care of myself, and more important my family!!!!
 

cjewell

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Oct 11, 2004
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there are private ambulance companies but in case of emergencies you'd be better off loading the sick person into a car or even a taxi and going directly to the hospital.
as far security goes, many gated communities have private security.

I know that but I don't think the security in the gated communities are that great (at least in Sosua) judging by many of the threads on here. Especially in Mulata.
 

cjewell

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Oct 11, 2004
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"A private North American" style company with American employees or Dominican ones?
Would an American work for let's say RD500 per day? Probably not so that would mean one would have to work with Dominican ones. Hmmmmm so where would be the difference then? ;)

My thought was maybe - North American ones..... there are a lot of ex-military and ex-police living in DR. Maybe pay more.... or maybe I am just nuts lol... it was just a thought.
 

cjewell

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Oct 11, 2004
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Even if it was a "North American" company they would still depend on the services here provided by Dominicans..ambulance, fire dept, police, etc. And those services are already sketchy as it is. If there was a way around that then it may work.

I know if a crime were commited that the police would get involved or eventually one would end up at a Dominican hospital perhaps.... I am thinking more re: immediate response when something happens. Like someone in trying to enter your property and you need someone there asap. Good example - our watchy walks around with a bat. One night there was a big commotion outside our apartment door. It sounded like someone was slamming into the door. I literally was $%^ing in my pants. I thought someone was trying to kick the door down. My boyfriend grabbed a machete that we have in the kitchen (don't ask) and once the banging stopped went outside to check it out. I just remember being soooooooo scared. It ended up being 2 chicas who had a huge fight right outside of our door. After he went out the fight had made it down to the street (god bless the man 2 doors down for his excellent taste in women). They even broke the tiles in the walkway. The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes - watchy nowhere to be found... Longest 5 minutes of my life lol.
 

cjewell

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Oct 11, 2004
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So who is going to respond???? The local authorities???? Right ...

Bob K

I wasn't really suggesting paying just for a number to call - but also first responders. My thought was that if everyone paid $x number of dollars monthly that it could be possible... I guess I am just nuts lol.
 
I'll take my barrio peeps any day over calling 911, it would take me 10 minutes to explain where we live!

A few weeks ago I heard a woman screaming and some commotion around 9pm so the wife gets the bat, I get the gun and we go outside and look around and see other barrio peeps coming to see what is happening. Well it turned out a lady was killing a dog bc it ate her food. That was lovely.

I'm sure if you scream someone would come CJ or is there no one really around where you live?
 

cjewell

Bronze
Oct 11, 2004
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I'll take my barrio peeps any day over calling 911, it would take me 10 minutes to explain where we live!

A few weeks ago I heard a woman screaming and some commotion around 9pm so the wife gets the bat, I get the gun and we go outside and look around and see other barrio peeps coming to see what is happening. Well it turned out a lady was killing a dog bc it ate her food. That was lovely.

I'm sure if you scream someone would come CJ or is there no one really around where you live?

No I could throw a rock at Casa Marina from my apartment... It was just I thought. I personally would pay for that though.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
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I have a "Private Security Service' here in Santo Domingo.
It's a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

PS, I'm 67 and can STILL take care of myself, and more important my family!!!!

i guess the Mossberg will take you to the hospital if you suffer a heart attack or a stroke.