GR Press: Sounding Alarms on (Kent Co) 911

[BazookaJoe]

01/14/07

A Grand Rapids Press investigation into the emergency dispatch systems

Gaps in emergency communication in Kent County hamper policy and firefighters, leading to potentially deadly delays and mistakes.

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/911calls/

Several stories to read and pdf-file images to study.

 

[gg750]

Sounds like Kent County is WAY past due for a consolidated/central dispatch center and a unified, county-wide radio system. Maybe all this media coverage will prompt some corrective action by the various bodies of government.

In my neck of the woods, every agency in the county, as well as agencies from surrounding counties, are able to talk to each other with the push of a button or by picking up a different mic.

G

 

[gg750]

It also seems that Grand Rapids isn't the only place suffering from this problem. This family lost their home because of a 911 mix up.

http://www.record-eagle.com/2007/jan/21fire.htm