Frustrated D.C. residents continue voicing concerns and fears over the District’s 911 call center, saying their calls are still being dropped or never answered. One D.C. council member says she wants answers.
Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau said she鈥檚 seen an uptick in complaints from her constituents. For example, over a 10-day period in May, Nadeau said she heard about more disturbing incidents with the call center than she typically does in a year.
“I am deeply concerned and frustrated with the 911 call center,鈥� Nadeau told 91欧美激情. 鈥淩ight now, when you call 911 in an emergency, there is no guarantee that someone is going to answer or call you back.鈥�
On Tuesday, to the City Administrator and Office of Unified Communications (OUC), requesting daily staffing statistics, a list of agency mistakes, changes to correct systemic failures and a private briefing.
鈥淚n Ward 1, we鈥檝e had people who called, and no one answered. We鈥檝e had people who were placed on hold for 20 minutes before they just gave up,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ne constituent called 911 to report multiple gunshots in her neighborhood and got the automated 鈥楶lease do not hang up鈥� message and was put on hold and then the call was dropped. That caller tried four more times to get help but could not get through.鈥�
D.C.鈥檚 Office of Unified Communications handles 911 calls in the District. Earlier this year, Director Heather McGaffin defended the agency before a D.C. Council committee. She said the city was working to improve hiring and make sure there is enough personnel on hand to answer calls.
鈥淟ast year, of the nearly 1.8 million 911 calls received, 77.86% were answered in 15 seconds or less,鈥� McGaffin said in February, arguing that鈥檚 the new industry standard these days. 鈥淚n fact, the average number one answer time was 12.03 seconds.鈥�
In her letter, Nadeau referenced a history of critical errors, including dispatching emergency medical services to the wrong address or misdirecting calls. She also accused Mayor Muriel Bowser of downplaying the agency鈥檚 deficiencies.
鈥淲hy isn鈥檛 the mayor making this her number one priority? This is literally life or death in the District of Columbia every day,鈥� Nadeau said. 鈥淧eople living here need to know if they have an emergency, someone is going to pick up the phone. It鈥檚 very basic.鈥�
Nadeau said she looks forward to a response and solutions.
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