I support taking steps to improve our 911 call center answer times. Last week, I was first on the scene of a motorcycle accident between Watt and Howe on Hwy 50, but for about 10 minutes until I gave up I could not get through to 911. Finally, an off-duty ambulance happened to come upon us , pulled over, then radioed for help from a fire truck, CHP and other ambulance. While I was on hold with 911, it was a pre-recorded message saying be prepared to tell the operator the specifics of the emergency, and it just kept cycling through. I'm sure others called to report the accident who drove by, but what if I were calling about a different reason and couldn't get through? Our 911 system needs to be immediately available to take calls, and figure out what is necessary to address the emergency. Waiting 10 minutes or more to get through could be the difference between life and death. I encourage actions to improve the system and ensure operators are available for quick response.
I support taking steps to improve our 911 call center answer times. Last week, I was first on the scene of a motorcycle accident between Watt and Howe on Hwy 50, but for about 10 minutes until I gave up I could not get through to 911. Finally, an off-duty ambulance happened to come upon us , pulled over, then radioed for help from a fire truck, CHP and other ambulance. While I was on hold with 911, it was a pre-recorded message saying be prepared to tell the operator the specifics of the emergency, and it just kept cycling through. I'm sure others called to report the accident who drove by, but what if I were calling about a different reason and couldn't get through? Our 911 system needs to be immediately available to take calls, and figure out what is necessary to address the emergency. Waiting 10 minutes or more to get through could be the difference between life and death. I encourage actions to improve the system and ensure operators are available for quick response.