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A traffic accident between a Sirocco driver and a motorcyclist was reported to have happened in the wee hours of May 8.

According to user Pam Kaur who posted to Facebook group Singapore Incidents, the accident had happened at 2:40am, on the Central Expressway (CTE) before Exit 8B.

The driver of the Sirocco was allegedly drunk and was driving in and out of lanes before he hit the motorcyclist.

Alleged lack of urgency from first responder

In her original Facebook post, Kaur wrote that she had stopped to call 995 for help.

The first responder had then asked the user where their location was and the number of the lamppost to assess their location.

The user added that the first responder had subsequently called her back to ask for the lamppost number.

She lamented that this was "infuriating", as it indicated a "lack of urgency and stupidity".

She responded: "I said by the time the ambulance arrives at the scene because you have a listening problem despite my clear instructions, the motorcyclist would have died."

Claimed responder hung up after

The user claimed that the first responder had expressed her dissatisfaction with the user's tone of voice, and subsequently hung up the call.

The user opined that the first responder's actions were wrong, as she noted there was a motorcyclist that had needed immediate medical attention.

She added that while she had snapped at the first responder, the responder should have been trained to deal with frantic calls where people may lose patience.

She wrote: "And how many times do I have to repeat my location man?! I didn’t take her name down. But I want to know who she is so that this never happens again."

In a subsequent edit, the user added that a report has been made of the incident through a relevant channel shared by other users.

She shared that she hoped the first responder involved would be "retrained" and be reminded to "remain calm and kind in all situations" on the job.

She said: "Whatever the procedures may be, however I reacted, nothing will justify being rude and hanging up on me. Also, please don’t drink and drive."

Some users explain the usual SOP for first responders

In response to the post, most users called to hear both sides of the story.

Some users pointed out that the first responder might actually have called back in order to verify the exact location of the accident.

One user, who reportedly worked as a paramedic, also explained that first responders have been given the wrong location in an emergency, which is why calling back and the verification process is important.

Another user also noted that the person who called back might have been a different person. This is because sometimes, the person who receives the first call is a call operator before a paramedic who is dispatched to the scene of the incident calls back to check the location.

Another user who agreed said that it "wouldn't have hurt" to talk nicely in any dire situation, and pointed out that "it takes two hands to clap".

In response, Kaur noted that the person who had called back had been the same person: "In total, I got three calls that night. Twice from dispatched and one from first responder."

SCDF looking into the matter

In response to Mothership's queries, a spokesperson from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shared that it is aware of the social media post.

Here's the full statement from SCDF:

"SCDF is aware of a social media post highlighting the manner in which one of our personnel handled a phone call clarifying the location of a road traffic accident. SCDF is looking into the matter."

Mothership has reached out to Kaur as well, and will update the article with her response.

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Top images via Pam Kaur Facebook