Atlanta mayor pushes for more funding for 911 Call Center

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) -Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is pushing for a sooner, higher 911 Name Heart in Atlanta by means of a public amenities bond measure.

Each day, 3,000 calls undergo the 911 Name Heart. That’s 1.2 million calls a 12 months.

“All these instances most individuals take pleasure in time with their household, we’re right here answering the telephones, saving lives,” mentioned Desiree Arnold, the middle’s director.

“Earlier than a fireplace engine rolls out, earlier than an officer pulls up, that first level of contact with the general public happens proper right here on this system that we now have right here with these devoted women and men,” mentioned Mayor Andre Dickens.

However not all calls are answered straight away.

“82% of our calls are answered inside ten seconds,” mentioned Arnold.

A CBS46 investigation uncovered an increase in wait instances for 911 callers. In 2020, roughly 5% of Atlanta’s 911 callers waited on maintain for greater than 40 seconds. In 2021, that quantity grew to 9% and within the first 4 months of 2022, that quantity jumped to just about 13%.

“The very last thing I need is somebody in an emergency to go to a system that’s not responsive,” mentioned Mayor Dickens.

That’s why Mayor Dickens desires extra money going into the decision heart, by means of an infrastructure poll measures package deal.

“We’re going to place $15 million into modernizing our 911 infrastructure, bettering our servers, and our expertise,” mentioned Dickens.

How would that assist name wait instances? Effectively a giant reason for them is staffing. And whereas the bond wouldn’t pay for extra staff, it may enhance their working circumstances with expertise that works.

“A part of what we’re doing with the staffing problem is one) doing an excellent job of recruiting, but in addition build up the system so employees discover that we see worth in them,” mentioned Dickens.

If you’d like the decision heart and different Atlanta departments to get extra money for enhancements, you may vote in favor for what’s being referred to as the Public Amenities Bond Measure in your major ticket this coming Tuesday, Could twenty fourth.

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