Bob Mackin
Police in two Surreys almost 7,600 kilometres apart combined to save a woman’s life on Christmas Day.
British news website Your Local Guardian reported on Jan. 4 that a distraught person trying to contact Surrey RCMP errantly contacted Surrey Police in England.
Flags of Surrey, U.K. (top) and Surrey, B.C.
Contact centre operator Ellie Benson received a message via social media from a person in distress in Surrey, B.C. A Toronto Police officer originally from the U.K. was, coincidentally, visiting the department and assisted in the call from afar.
“Once the Surrey RCMP Operational Communications Centre received the call from the Surrey (U.K.) Police Department, we were able to dispatch our Frontline officers to attend to the female’s address and locate the female,” RCMP spokesman Sgt. Chad Greig told theBreaker.news. “She was then taken to hospital.”
Surrey Police Asst. Chief Nev Kemp told Your Local Guardian that “It’s a lucky coincidence that PC Rowe was on attachment at the time and was able to provide assistance by speaking to their colleagues in Canada that we were able to reach the woman quickly,” Kemp said. “This just goes to show that where saving a life is concerned, borders and time zones don’t matter and we will do what we can to help our friends in blue around the world.”
The 1879-incorporated Surrey, B.C., across the Fraser River from New Westminster, was named for the historic U.K. county by H.J. Brewer.
- People are available to listen and to help: The toll-free distress line in British Columbia is 1-866-661-3311. In the U.K., Samaritans are available at 116-123.
Support theBreaker.news for as low as $2 a month on Patreon. Find out how. Click here.
