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PORTLAND, Ore. — People calling 911 to report Saturday afternoon’s shootout at a Pearl District restaurant and other emergencies in the following half-hour waited an average of more than 7.5 minutes before a dispatcher answered.
The lengthy hold time is far above the national standard of 15 to 20 seconds for 911 calls and the latest example of serious problems plaguing the city’s emergency dispatch system. The communications bureau has 106 call takers and dispatchers who handle both 911 and non-emergency calls of 128 full-time positions authorized, with eight of those still in training…
