South Florida county struggles with understaffed 911 call center

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward County’s emergency name heart is enormously understaffed and the sheriff advised county commissioners his company doesn’t have the cash to fill the empty positions.

As well as, Sheriff Gregory Tony mentioned Tuesday that he’s additionally having a tough time retaining different dispatchers who can make more cash elsewhere.

“We’re going to proceed to lose these folks,” he warned. “This may at all times be an issue right here whether or not we wish to admit it or not.”

Some Broward County Commissioners advised the sheriff to repair the problems instantly.

“Give all people a increase … and also you received’t lose anyone,” Commissioner Mark Bogen advised the sheriff. “You bought the cash to try this proper now with out us providing you with a penny.”

Tony advised commissioners Tuesday he’s not going to make “random or fast choices” that may create different issues. He agreed to make a presentation outlining monetary wants on the Could 10 fee assembly.

Advert

The understaffing got here to gentle in a South Florida SunSentinel investigation that documented 1000’s of unanswered 911 calls. The newspaper discovered that deserted calls, these that are disconnected earlier than they’re answered, elevated 26% from 2019 to 2021. In February, there have been 14,505 deserted calls. That’s the newest month for which statistics can be found.

Sheriff’s officers mentioned excessive stress and pay that’s not aggressive are causes for the understaffing.

Commissioner Jared Moskowitz, who served because the state’s emergency administration director till final yr, mentioned county authorities doesn’t transfer rapidly, sending points to committees earlier than something occurs. “I have a look at this as a real-time downside.”

He cited for example a home in Hollywood that burned to the bottom final month after calls to 911 went unanswered.

Advert

“Issues don’t get higher with time in emergency administration, they worsen,” Moskowitz mentioned. “What occurred on this occasion was a tragedy, and the sheriff is telling us it’s going to occur once more.”

The SunSentinel story talked about the home fireplace, together with different examples of individuals whose 911 calls went unanswered. These included a person with a medical emergency and a household whose child was turning blue, and later died after the daddy took the kid to the hospital.

Moskowitz requested for “the quantity is to repair this,” whether or not it was $250,000 or $500,000. “If {dollars} assist handle this, then let’s simply applicable the {dollars}.”

Tony didn’t have a quantity immediately, however mentioned he’ll get it prepared for commissioners. “We’ll come again with a wants request,” he mentioned.

County commissioners appeared annoyed by among the non-answers they bought and puzzled the way it bought up to now.

”Is Broward assembly the nationwide requirements?” Commissioner Steve Geller requested, referring to expectations that 90% of emergency calls get answered inside 15 seconds.

Advert

“Sure, there are events the place we fall brief,” Sheriff’s Colonel Nichole Anderson responded. ”For probably the most half we’re assembly it,” she mentioned. “Extra occasions than not” the company meets its requirements.

”It’s the qualifier you retain including on the finish that’s bothering me,” Geller mentioned.