Brickbat: Fighting Fire

Sherri Chance's son called 911 when he noticed flames shooting out of the clothes dryer at their home in DeKalb County, Georgia. He expected a quick response since there was a fire station just two miles away, but he was put on hold—for 41 minutes. Family members and neighbors tried to battle the growing blaze themselves in the meantime. Finally, a passing FedEx driver saw the house on fire, drove to the fire station, and alerted firefighters who went to the house and put out the fire. Chance said her representatives on the county commission told her the 911 center is experiencing staffing shortages.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

...the 911 center is experiencing staffing shortages.

The call-taking division is apparently adequately staffed, but the dispatching department seems to be bone dry.

[mad.casual]

The new 9-11 director increased pay and hired 23 new people at some point between getting hired herself on Dec. 2023 and the fire on Mar. 12... I guess all 23 of them are on the same shift or don't start until Q2, or something.

But, either way, she's got a $5M tech budget to solve the problem now.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Probably that new "work" from home thing.

[mad.casual]

Out: Going on to ICQ/IRC and asking people, “My house is on fire what do I do?”

In: Setting up a Zoom call, setting your background to look as though shit is actually on fire (mostly peacefully), and asking people “How do I dial 911?”.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Jerry:
I don't understand. Do you have my reservation?

Rental Car Agent:
We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars.

Jerry:
But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation.

Rental Car Agent:
I think I know why we have reservations.

Jerry:
I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them.

[mad.casual]

Well... that's embarrassing:

DeKalb installing $5 million state-of-the-art emergency call technology

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has appointed Carina Swain as the county’s E-911 director.

A public safety professional with more than 16 years of experience, Swain worked for the Atlanta Police Department from 2019 to 2023, most recently serving as an E-911 Communications shift manager. From 2016 to 2019, Swain worked for Fulton County Emergency Services as an E-911 Communications senior supervisor.

“Director Swain has been tasked with replacing our antiquated E-911 phone system with state-of-the-art emergency call technology,” CEO Thurmond said. “She is leading the post-pandemic effort to reorganize the department, increase staffing and salaries, and reduce emergency call wait times."

Since joining DeKalb County in December 2023, Swain has championed the new starting salary of $46,800 for new employees, among the highest in Georgia. Additionally, she recruited and hired 23 E-911 operators and realigned staff schedules to better handle incoming emergency calls. Swain is also maintaining triple overtime pay for staff.

In addition, Swain is also leading the county’s effort to install a $5 million, state-of-the-art E-911 phone system.

The funding for this system was recommended by CEO Thurmond and unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners in February 2024.

This system will significantly reduce the number of non-emergency calls to E-911 by prescreening and triaging all calls prior to callers speaking to an operator.

Swain is also hiring a public education specialist to educate the public about when to use E-911.

[mad.casual]

LOL... I may've left off some of the most embarrassing parts:

Swain earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 2011 and a Master of Business Administration in 2013, both from Southern Wesleyan University.

Additionally, she has several certifications, including Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) and Georgia Crime Information Center, National Incident Management System, Terminal Agency Coordinator FEMA Emergency Management Institute certifications, and FEMA Emergency Management Institute certifications for Public Safety Officer Awareness, Telecommunicators Emergency Response Taskforce, and Emergency Management Preparedness Fundamentals.

In 2023, DeKalb County E-911 was recognized by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for emergency medical dispatching. DeKalb County E-911 is the 51st medical ACE in the world, and this is DeKalb County E-911’s eighth time earning the distinction. DeKalb County E-911 is now one of only 15 centers worldwide to have been awarded this accreditation eight times.

[Don't look at me!]

Swain is also hiring a public education specialist to educate the public about when to use E-911.

Because nobody knows this.
Nobody..

[SQRLSY One]

We'll get around to putting out those fires...

AFTER we attend to trannies doing the "Drag Queens Spermy Daniels Story Hours"!

AFTER we attend to the Stolen Erections!!!

AFTER we attend to the FALSE persecutions of Dear Leader!

AFTER we attend to the INVASIONS of the ARMIES of illegal sub-humans!!!

AFTER we attend to ... (All EVIL-Tribal Things from the Them-Not-Us Team = = Demented, Devilish Demon-Craps!!!)

[AT]

Honestly, the fire department responding would have been racist. For all they know, they could have been interrupting a mostly peaceful protest in the name of St. Floyd of the Fentanyl, where burnt offerings - usually other people's property, but in one's own community to be sure - are a traditional way of celebrating his contribution to society.

[Finrod]

Add this to the long list of reasons why I will never live in DeKalb County.