Kenosha Fire Chief John Thomsen marveled at the precision and patience of county dispatchers who took 911 calls during Friday’s torrential storms.

But many of the callers’ so-called emergencies left Thomsen shaking his head, particularly the many misguided requests for directions.

“Dispatch probably would have had a slow night, if they hadn’t taken calls for directions,” Thomsen said. “More than 50 percent of calls after the storm were for people asking for directions. They were flooded with calls: ‘The Interstate is closed. Can you tell me how to get from (Highway) 158 to Zion by a different route?’ ... I couldn’t do that job.”

Don’t get Dolly Brennan started.

As Kenosha County’s 911 manager, Brennan has just about heard it all.

“People do not realize that 911 is for emergencies only,” she said. “An emergency is a threat to life or property. Trying to get somewhere from here is not a threat to life or property.”

Brennan was not working when the storm hit. She was at Woodman’s grocery store, where staff tried to keep customers inside or insisted, if customers needed to leave, that they use parcel pick-up to avoid becoming lightning targets while pushing their metal grocery carts.

“They understand what an emergency is,” Brennan said.

Still, people called 911 to verify tornado sirens, to report fallen tree branches and ask for help with stalled cars.

“If you hear the sirens, take cover. Don’t go calling us,” Brennan said. “A tree blown down in the yard that did not hit anything is not an emergency. It might seem like an emergency, but if it didn’t hit you or power lines, no. If it hits your house, yes. If you’re in your car and water is pouring in your windows, that’s an emergency.”

Now that the area is facing its first bit of summer heat, Brennan said she’s expecting a whole new round of non-emergency 911 calls.

“They call to ask if the pool is open. Are the buses running? Or, with the construction, ‘How do I get to Silver Lake from the city?’ Because Highway C, Highway E and parts of the Interstate, at least the on and off ramps, are closed, so it’s very difficult to get somewhere.”

Just for the record, none of those qualify as emergencies.

Neither does this one: “Can you please have the fire department come and fill my pool?”

That service was actually provided at one time, Brennan said. But it no longer falls under fire services.

And it certainly is not an emergency.