Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Fire Call indicates 911 problems persist - 3/29/2008THISWEEK March 29, 2008 3A
es 911 problems persist
Dakota 'Communications Center Executive Director Kent
Therkelsen sits by a three-inch stack of papers that lists all 911
calls the DCC has received from Jan. 1 through March 18, 2008.
About 5,100 of the estimated 36,000 calls received were classified
as hang ups. Based on conversations with callers and comparative
data with other 911 centers, Therkelsen estimates that only a
small percentage of those 5,100 calls were misdirected into the
hang-up queue.
ancy, Therkelsen said he's frus-
trated with the situation that has
been going on since Feb. 23.
Robert Hawkins, Burnsville
police chief and chair of the
DCC law enforcement commit-
tee, said he heard a complaint
from a citizen unable to get
through to 911 about a month
ago.
"I gave them the alternative
number, and they called back
and said they got a hold of
someone," Hawkins said.
Despite the system's techni-
cal problems, Therkelsen said he
trusts that the correct times are
being recorded, noting that in
emergency situations time can
seem to slow down to a person
in need of help.
Just how many calls are go-
ing unanswered is not known.
Based on a DCC report of all
36,000 calls received from Jan. 1
to March 18, about 5,100 were
routed into the abandoned call
queue.
Therkelsen estimates only a
small fraction of those 911 calls
were not hang-ups but were
improperly routed and unan-
swered.
He described the problem as
incredibly disappointing.
"We take this obligation to
our public very, very seriously,"
he said, adding that he wants
assurance the system is fixed,
even if software company tech-
nicians have to be there around
the clock.
Last week, technicians were
constantly monitoring the sys-
tem to, diagnose, fix and test it.
In an emergency, residents
are still encouraged to call 911
because more information is im-
mediately available to dispatch-
ers, including the caller's ad-
dress, but Therkelsen said to use
the alternate number as another
way to access help.
Farmington Police Chief
Brian Lindquist said he's glad
the alternate number is being
publicized, and appreciates the
efforts being made to fix the
problem.
Police chiefs from around
the county that were contacted
about this issue expressed a mix-
ture of confidence and frustra-
tion in the persistence of the
problem.
Sheriff's Department Chief
Deputy Dave Bellows said,
"Frankly, what we strive for is
a zero failure rate.... We want
a perfect system. When people
call 911, we want people to have
all the confidence in the world
that when they call, it'll get an-
swered."
Laura Adelmann is at
dceditor@ftontiernet. net.