This article is more than 1 year old

Chat-room saves Scot from drug overdose

Canadian emergency service tips off Edinburgh police

A Scot was saved from a nasty death by a drug and drink overdose yesterday when a woman in Canada spotted his predicament on an Internet chat-room.

The man, who had taken the lethal Valium and alcohol cocktail while depressed, asked for help in the chat-room. He was apparently having difficulty typing and was slurring his words while speaking via his computer microphone.

The woman in Calgary called the emergency services in Canada and informed them of the situation. Quick-thinking staff at Calgary Emergency Medical Serve contacted Scottish police, who whipped an ambulance round to the man's home and took him to hospital in Bannockburn, northwest of Edinburgh, where he was treated.

"I'm not sure of any other agencies that have had to work with callers and placing ambulances in other countries," Calgary EMS spokesman Doug Odney told Reuters.

"Someone in Calgary was aware of someone in a chat room, and once they started determining where he was, the way to activate it was by calling us. So we're glad we were able to help." ®

Related Stories

Online dating agencies abuse old chat-room gag
Online chat ends in knife attack
Vigilent mother foils dirty old man's chat-room plan

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like