Child calls 911 for help with math homework

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CNN) — A child in Colorado recently called 911 because he needed urgent help.

It wasn’t a home invasion or a kidnapping or a fire.

It was math.

Yes, math.

He was under attack by long division and called for help.

Dispatcher Chris Clow is ready for whatever may be on the other end of the line.

“Some people have grown to think that 911 is a catch all for ‘I need help with something; I don’t know who to call,’” Clow told KCNC. 

But a recent call caught this Fort Collins dispatcher a bit off guard.

“Hi, this isn’t an emergency, but I’m 10 years old and I’m working on my math homework right now and I can’t figure out what 71 divided by 3,052 is,” the child on the line asked.

Without missing a beat, Clow did what he does best.

“I can try to help you. Let me – I don’t know how to do that off the top of my head either at the moment,” Clow answered.

Child: “Okay, thanks!”

After releasing the child had the equation backwards, Clow was able to help the child in the midst of a math crisis.

Clow: “Just doing it on the calculator, it’s 42.98, which you would round up to like 43.”
Child: “Oh, OK. Thanks. Thank you.”

While homework woes are no reason to call 911 Clow was happy he could help.

Even though it’s a cute story, Fort Collins police want to remind people that 911 should only be used for real emergencies.

However, students can reach out to school resource officers for help with homework.