Business Growth Strategy

Theres a new push to solve Kansas Citys problem of long wait times for 911 callers.On Tuesday, the city councils Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee unanimously passed a resolution directing City Manager Brian Platt to develop a plan to unify the police and fire departments 911 dispatch centers.Platt will then present the plan to the Board of Police Commissioners for a response.The most recent numbers from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) show that the average wait time for a 911 caller in August was 33 seconds. The longest wait time recorded was one hour, 47 minutes and 56 seconds.Wells Brown spent the first 24 days of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). His mother, Devin, said it didnt have to be that way.As KMBC first reported on Sept. 9, both Devin and Wells lives were in danger on the day of his birth.In that time, we called 911 three times, and we were put on hold each time, Devin said.With numerous incidents like that one in mind, the committee discussed the resolution before passing it. Councilman Darrell Curls suggested that the city shouldnt have to wait too long for a response from the Board of Police Commissioners, which is scheduled to meet again on Oct. 29.I think the least we can do is ask for a timeline instead of an open-ended one, because then it will just sit on somebody’s desk, Curls said. The committee approved a friendly amendment asking for a response within 45 days.Leaders in both the police and fire departments have stated they need more personnel to handle the volume of 911 calls. Officials at the Kansas City Fire Department indicated that any added responsibility for 911 call taking would require not only more staffing but also a larger dispatch center.At the last Board of Police Commissioners meeting on Sept. 10, Kansas City Police Department Major Greg Williams said he could fully staff the 911 dispatch center in 18 months.Mayor Quinton Lucas mentioned he has heard about the staffing issue for two years. I understand it is a difficult job, but if they can figure out how to answer a 911 call in a more timely manner than we do in St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit or any number of American cities, why can’t we get that done here? he said.Devin Brown expressed her hope to see solutions to the 911 wait time problem. She also hopes no one else is affected by delays in 911 response.Devin is also hoping Wells can leave the NICU and come home soon.