With Bucks County’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system out of service due to a cyberattack as of Wednesday, few details on what exactly happened, when the key system may be restored, and who did it have been made public.
The county’s CAD system went down Sunday afternoon.
Broward taxpayers are likely to fund a new facility to house the county’s 911 dispatch center. But finding the right location, in part, could hinge on who would retain oversight of the services.
Sheriff Gregory Tony appealed to county commissioners Tuesday with his proposal for a seven-story parking garage, a four-story, 62,750-square-foot building housing a 911 call center and an 11,800-square-foot, on-site day care for up to 100 children of Sheriff’s Office employees. About 85% of the employees are women, Tony said.
WICHITA, Kan. — Between screams, the woman told the Sedgwick County 911 call-taker at least three times that she was on fire.
In her panic, the 91-year-old accidentally hung up after dialing 911 on the morning of Jan. 7 . When the county called back, she tried to explain what was happening.
There is probably no better opportunity for municipalities to share services and save tax money than in emergency 911 dispatching services. Even when presented with evidence of cost savings and performance improvements through the contracting or outsourcing of police, fire, and ambulance services, some residents still prefer the presence of local first responders directed by local leaders. That feeling is understandable, but there is little reason to believe it extends to emergency operations dispatching. As vital as the service is, if the technology is effective and the operator is properly trained, it makes no difference if the emergency call is answered down the block in Paris, Missouri, or across the ocean in Paris, France.
A new system in Glenview’s Public Safety Dispatch Center is expected to save a great deal of time responding to alarm activations.
When Chatham County christened its integrated 911 call center in October 2023, county leaders heralded its automated efficiency. On camera, Chatham County Manager Michael Kaigler said, “Everybody will have all the information. It will be accurate. There’s no room for error.”
But during a Wednesday afternoon workshop with the Board of County Commissioners, Chatham 911 and Emergency Management Services (EMS) officials attempted to explain the challenges they have faced as reports of unanswered calls, long wait times for ambulance dispatches and complaints about lack of attention and urgency by emergency medical technicians mount.
