By First Alert 4 Staff
Published: Jun. 28, 2024 at 5:13 PM EDT|Updated: 23 hours ago
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – St. Louis is warning residents that their calls for help could be met with significant delays as they work to upgrade the system.
The city said the training is to achieve level two certification. The upgrade could delay answering 911 calls over the next two weeks.
First Alert 4 has been reporting on slow responses at St. Louis City’s dispatch center for years.
Last summer, Katherine Coen died after a tree fell on top of her car in The Grove. People nearby said they couldn’t get emergency dispatchers to answer the phone. The city said three calls were answered, but the first unit arrived 32 minutes after receiving the first call.
In 2021, a Washington Avenue business owner tried to call for help when a man with a box cutter was harassing her. She said by the time she got a hold of police, the man had left.
When First Alert 4 took the concerns to city leaders back then, we were told it was all a process of selecting a new system, merging police and fire data, and ensuring people are hired and trained. Today, the mandatory training is required within the first year of dispatcher training. The city is investing in a new centralized facility that is set to open in 2026.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/06/28/911-callers-could-be-met-with-delays-st-louis-works-upgrade-system/
