Atlanta, GA
Atlanta E-911 dealing with increase of non-emergency calls
ATLANTA — Atlanta E-911 say they are dealing with an influx of non-emergency calls to the 911 Center. They say those calls are tying up resources to deal with real emergency calls.
They’re receiving calls like a homeowner asking for help to move pillows from one couch to another. Another call is someone asking for a score to the game.
Those are some of the most recent calls, that the Atlanta 911 Center told Channel 2′s Larry Spruill they’re receiving on a regular basis.
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The problem is these calls are not emergency calls.
“We have a large number of calls that should not be received in the E-911 Center,” Atlanta E-911 Director Desiree Arnold said.
Arnold said when they receive those calls into the 9-1-1 Center, it affects everything.
“We receive multiple calls of just regular requests, like can you assist me with finding my keys, things of that nature that tie our call center employees up and then we’re unable to get to other calls,” Arnold explained.
Channel 2 Action News has reported several times on 911 center wait times and delays.
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According to Atlanta E-911, in 2023 they answered more than 1.3 Million 911 calls. Those calls include both emergency and non-emergency calls. That’s over 3,700 calls per day.
Atlanta E-911 said roughly 60% of the calls that come into 911 are non-emergency.
“For a long period of time, people have been told to call 911 about everything. Anything that happens, just call 911, because we’re always here and we always answer the phone. There are so many other resources available now. There are so many things that you can google. If you want to know where your loved one is in jail, go to the jail website, you don’t have to call 911 for that. That’s where we are now, we’re trying to educate the public on when is the correct time to call 911,” Arnold said.
Inside the city of Atlanta city limits, Atlanta E-911 can receive text messages from citizens. Just text the numbers 9-1-1 as you would any other number.
Texting 911 is useful for things like:
- Reporting non-emergencies that don’t require officers to meet with you. (i.e. illegal parking, noise ordinance violations)
- Texting when a voice call would otherwise be unsafe. (i.e. hidden within your home during a burglary or domestic violence situation.
- The capacity of the caller to speak, for any number of reasons is diminished.
The 911 center is also hiring.
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Atlanta, GA
Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels
ATLANTA – A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm.
What we know:
The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South.
According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.
The entire building was evacuated as a precaution.
One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure.
Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.
Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.
Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.
Atlanta, GA
2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say
Two suspects in a shooting that left a 7-year-old Atlanta girl dead and her mother injured are now in custody nearly a week after the violence, police say.
The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 24 at a home on the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Drive NW.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between one of the victim’s family members and the gunman over the phone. Thirty minutes after the argument, the suspect came back and fired shots into the home, police said.
Officers responding to the scene found a 44-year-old woman and her daughter, identified as 7-year-old Zoe Price, shot. Medics rushed the pair to a local hospital, but Price died from her injuries.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department’s homicide unit secured an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Preston Smith two days after the shooting. Smith turned himself in to the Fulton County Jail on March 2.
Schierbaum said officers executed a search warrant on Feb. 27 at a home on McDaniel Street. On that day, 17-year-old Steven Richardson, who police described as an “accomplice,” turned himself in to authorities.
Both men are charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, three counts of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and four counts of third-degree cruelty to children. Richardson is also charged with possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.
At a press conference to announce the arrests, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described Price as a bright and compassionate little girl who was “full of energy and full of joy.”
“Her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence, and that loss is not abstract. It is a chair that is going to be missing at the dinner table each night. It is an empty classroom seat next to her friends,” Dickens said.
The mayor called the arrests “a step forward towards justice” for Price’s family and families across the city.
Dickens said that violence, like the act that took Price’s life, would not be tolerated in Atlanta.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More
On Monday, the Braves were able to earn another Spring Training victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was a game where the starting pitching depth of the Braves was on full display, as Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Owen Murphy all threw multiple innings. While it is likely unwise to expect big things from any of these three arms this season, they are a part of the “next man up” group for the Braves if injury again impacts the rotation. Each had a solid effort today, a trend that will hopefully continue.
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