Action Taken Against 911 Officials Who Put Woman On Hold
Quote:
Brenda Orr, 53, was smoking in bed and couldn't get out as it erupted in flames at her Doylestown home on Jan. 29. She died in the fire.
The call that was answered after seven rings sparked controversy.
Dispatcher 1: "911, can you hold one second, please?"
Orr: "No I can't. It's an emergency, 9-1-1 emergency. 3-4-0 Doyle, bed on fire."
(Delay)
Dispatcher 2: "Thanks for holding. 911, where is your emergency?"
On Wednesday, Bucks County authorities disciplined 11 operators and four supervisors. No one was fired.
Officials said the operators are being retrained and there is a new procedure for distributing calls to operators.
Bucks County officials admitted big mistakes were made when Orr called 911 for help as her bed burned.
"The call rang six times that was wrong. When the call was answered the caller was put on hold that was wrong. There's indication she was treated discourtesyly, that was wrong," Jim Cawley, chair of the Bucks County Commission, said.
The frantic call for help came from inside a burning Doylestown home at 10:31 a.m. on Jan. 29.
Only it wasn't answered fast enough and when it was picked up Orr was then put on hold for 27 seconds. Then a second dispatcher picked up the call.
The line stayed open but it was too late.
"None of the 10 dispatchers gave a reasonable explanation as to why they were unavailable to answer the call," Brent Wiggins, emergency communications director, said.
County officials said standard procedure wasn't followed. Ten operators could have answered the call but didn't, and supervisors who were on the floor were not monitoring the staff.
According to county officials, the 15 workers on that day have all been disciplined but decline to go into specifics about what action was taken against them.
Officials outlined new and stricter procedures Wednesday including forbidding a 911 call ever to be put on hold.
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As an aside, the article doesn't mention that the lady mentioned to the dispatcher that she was disabled and couldn't get out of the bed...
Now you would THINK that this story would have the operators wringing their hands with guilt until the day they die and publicly acknowledge their sorrow and remorse...
But, as unions are wont to do...
Dispatchers Involved In 911 Controversy File Grievances
Quote:
A group of emergency dispatchers are filing grievances after they were disciplined for their response to a 911 call. The call involved a disabled woman who called the emergency number to report her bed was on fire on Jan. 29.
Bucks County authorities said 10 emergency dispatchers were not busy when Brenda Orr's call came in. Investigators said it took 27 seconds before someone answered the call, and then she was put on hold for another 27 seconds.
Orr died in the fire.
Operators are being retrained, and there's a new procedure for distributing calls to operators.
A union said 11 dispatchers are filing grievances over their discipline.
County officials said the dispatcher who answered the phone should not have.
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Anyone wanna bring back stockades?...
02-18-2008, 09:31 PM
Action Taken Against 911 Officials Who Put Woman On Hold
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