If Phone Can Avert Tragedy, It’s Worth the Cost

A pay phone was recently removed from the poolside rec room at Malibu Canyon Village Complex, thus requiring anyone with an emergency to get back home or hope someone nearby is home. Most units are quite far from the pool.

The history of this phone is noteworthy because a near-tragedy was the impetus for its installation. Lillian Arnesti, an elderly resident, was swimming one morning about two years ago when she suffered a debilitating attack of dizziness. She managed to pull herself out of the pool. It was 40 minutes before a security guard found her. If there had been a phone nearby, she could have called 911.

Arnesti immediately put the matter before the homeowners association, which said having a public phone would cost $500 to install, plus an enormous monthly charge. On contacting the phone company, Arnesti discovered it cost $100 for installation, plus $37.25 a month, including maintenance. Arnesti then enlisted the help of the city of Malibu’s head of environmental safety and the phone was installed.

When Arnesti found out the phone was removed, she immediately called an association board member and was told expense was the reason.

Isn’t safety worth $37.25 a month? We can’t afford not to have a public phone. Or do we need a disaster to wake us up to the fact that a public phone can save a life?

JAMES HEARTLAND

Malibu