Why didn't the Mccann simply phone the European Emergency No 112

[AnneGuedes]

Is that serious Anne ?

One argument was the receptionist had to be asked to make the call because they didn't speak Portuguese. Another was they ignored the emergency number, but had they known it they weren't able to call because they didn't speak Portuguese.

[sadie]

My building was on fire (the ground floor, I'm on the 4th) two hours back. I called the 112 and said in French there was a fire rua xx nb xx. The 112 man replied in French asking which city, then he said the firemen had been alerted and it was better to go out of the building. I took my cat and my key and left. They arrived 8 minutes later (5 cars).

I hope all is well Anne

Erm .... In an emergency, a fire, when you speak fluent PT and I believe live in PT, what on earth possessed you to use French when calling for immediate help? >@@(*&)

You are not winding us up, are you?

[AnneGuedes]

Sadie, think a bit ! I must have said il y a un incendie rue de ... numéro.... 3 seconds. The reply was immediate : où êtes-vous ?

[sadie]

Sadie, think a bit ! I must have said il y a un incendie rue de ... numéro.... 3 seconds. The reply was immediate : où êtes-vous ?

But it was an emergency  Anne.  Peeps might have burned to death.

Why use French when the fire was in PT?   As a Uni Lecturer in Lisboa (I think, pls correct me if I am wrong) you must speak virtually flawless Portuguese.

Why risk wasting time by using a foreign language?

Doesn't make sense Anne

[AnneGuedes]

I first thought I'd call the firemen looking at the phone book, but suddenly remembered the 112 and found it was a good opportunity to check how they react. The fire was in a cave belonging to a restaurant, I knew it was their day off, nobody was there.
I didn't use the lift in order to bang at each floor's door and alerted this way the 2nd floor's neighbours who were already in bed and the only people in the building.
My desktop is in front of a terrace and the french window was wide open. This is why I could smell the smoke rather quickly.

[Jean-Pierre]

Calling 112 is not a natural response for most brits. 

And I can also understand it is not a reflex action in circumstances such as the McCanns found themeselves in.  Years ago in France with a couple of other families on the beach we "lost" one of the kids.  When we were leaving one was missing.  He had wandered off and become disorientated.  A moment of absolute panic then a search along the beach.  He was found, luckily, after about half an hour (the longest 30 minutes of my life). 

Within a couple of minutes we had people (including a group of students and others) fanning along the beach very effectively, and he was located.

But the thought of ringing the police never occured to me or the other members of the group at the time.

[AnneGuedes]

The child had wandered off or at least it was the most likely, you would have thought of something else and called the police after half an hour searching. In the McCann case they were sure from the start wandering off didn't happen. It has been found out that had they dialled the UK emergency nb they would have been redirected to Portugal emergency service.

[sadie]

I first thought I'd call the firemen looking at the phone book, but suddenly remembered the 112 and found it was a good opportunity to check how they react. The fire was in a cave belonging to a restaurant, I knew it was their day off, nobody was there.
I didn't use the lift in order to bang at each floor's door and alerted this way the 2nd floor's neighbours who were already in bed and the only people in the building.
My desktop is in front of a terrace and the french window was wide open. This is why I could smell the smoke rather quickly.

So it was a fire, an emergency, and you thought that you would try a foreign language first?

Jeez, Anne, what a strange thing to do.  Some might think it irresponsible.

Someone could have lost their life because of you using a foreign langage at such a potentially urgent time.   Fire can rip thru a building in seconds.    They were soooo lucky that someone did speak French

[AnneGuedes]

Some people, unlike you, speak various languages, it's not a shame !

[sadie]

estranha senhora  para brincar de tal emergência  >@@(*&)

Please note that it is usual to provide a translation
in English when posting in a foreign language.

John
Senior editor

estranha senhora  para brincar de tal emergência 
Google translates to
strange lady to play such an emergency
  Couldn't agree more Denny !

[AnneGuedes]

Google is retranslating itself, meanwhile losing syntax.
The thicker, the craziest, the opaquer, the better for erratic minds.

[sadie]

Some people, unlike you, speak various languages, it's not a shame !

Some people might have lost their lives thru your ?vanity in trying another language to call the fire brigade.

What is it with you, Anne?