Raleigh, N.C. — A Raleigh 911 dispatcher says public safety could be at risk if work conditions don’t improve.
She’s leaving the job, burnt out from chronic staff shortages and low pay.
“The job is stressful to start with, even under the best conditions,” said Beth Fulks, who has worked as a 911 dispatcher in the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center for six years.
The Federal Communications Commission launched an examination into the state of technology that can more precisely route wireless 9-1-1 calls to the proper 9-1-1 call center, resulting in faster response times during emergencies.
In these cases, the call could go to a 9-1-1 call center in that neighboring jurisdiction, not the call center that serves the caller’s location. These wireless 9-1-1 calls must then be re-routed to the proper 9-1-1 call center, which can waste valuable time and resources during emergencies.
The State of Arizona has begun the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (“NG911”) services to the Public Safety Answering Point (“PSAP”) communities across the state. NG911 will come in two parts Next Generation Core Services (“NGCS”) and new Call Handling Equipment (“CHE”). Through the use of NGCS, the State of Arizona will be able to offer a seamless, coordinated, and efficient NG911 system to all the State’s local 911 centers. The State 911 Program has also established a statewide contracting vehicle to allow for PSAPs across the state to procure NENA I3-compliant CHE.
At one point during the call, the trapped woman becomes unable to communicate. JFRD says Alonda Oates stays on the line and continues to speak to her anyway.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Editor’s Note: Some elements in this story may be disturbing to some.
Only a few short months since it was established, the Texas Emergency Communications Center, which serves as the 911 dispatch center for five volunteer fire departments in northern Harris County, has achieved a noteworthy milestone.
Courtesy Nancy Organ(FORT SMITH, Ark.) — A former Arkansas 911 dispatcher was cleared of wrongdoing following accusations that she mishandled a call with a drowning woman and told her to “shut up” just moments before she died.
