Brickbat: Fighting Fire

Sherri Chance's son called 911 when he noticed flames shooting out of the clothes dryer at their home in DeKalb County, Georgia. He expected a quick response since there was a fire station just two miles away, but he was put on hold—for 41 minutes. Family members and neighbors tried to battle the growing blaze themselves in the meantime. Finally, a passing FedEx driver saw the house on fire, drove to the fire station, and alerted firefighters who went to the house and put out the fire. Chance said her representatives on the county commission told her the 911 center is experiencing staffing shortages.