To say 60 seconds can mean the difference between life and death is no exaggeration when it comes to a heart attack, stroke or an escalating domestic violence scenario. Yet, that’s about the number of seconds at least 17,500 callers to 911 waited before their call was answered by Utah’s largest dispatch center last year.
That’s one finding from an audit presented to the Legislative Audit Subcommittee on Tuesday. To call the results “troubling,” as Senate President Stuart Adams did, seems an understatement.
Other key findings of the audit are that centers around the state are routinely understaffed, and that far too many staff members are operating on expired licenses.
The Senate committee concluded the meeting by agreeing the auditors should follow up in six months and 12 months from now to assess if any improvements have been made.
In the meantime, the audit raises serious questions.
Why, for instance, have so many call takers and dispatchers been allowed to illegally handle emergency situations? According to the audit, 94% of Utah’s dispatchers have the required emergency medical dispatcher certification, but only 54% have a current license.
Audit supervisor Jake Dinsdale suggests the Department of Health has been “lax” in its oversight. What, then, are the holes in the system that need filling? Who should be accountable for overseeing the licensing requirements and warning dispatch centers of noncompliance?
It would be easy to place blame at the feet of the dispatch centers who are ultimately responsible for hiring and training their employees, but that doesn’t allow for the grueling nature of the work that goes on there.
According to the Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center, or VECC, the state’s largest dispatch center, employees are expected to meet minimum certifications and enroll in continuing education courses, while some dispatchers are trained in the complexities of “swift water rescue, avalanches, arson investigation, extrication, HAZMAT, technical rescue, search and rescue and use of Rocky Mountain Rescue Dog.”
Call takers must maintain composure while absorbing as much information as possible, often under extreme duress. They coordinate channels of communication with first responders according to their judgement of the caller’s scenario, navigating text lines and multiple calls at once. They are trained to understand the emotional states of callers and calm them down when necessary. They rotate in shifts and must be available to work all hours of every day of the year.
The average salary for emergency dispatchers in Utah is in the mid $40,000 range, making it higher than the national average but still a relatively low reward considering the stress of the work.
No wonder Scott Ruff, VECC’s executive director, points to an attrition rate between 35% and 48%.
The audit thankfully lays bare areas of improvement in Utah’s 911 response, and it should prompt lawmakers to further investigate the state’s systems of compliance.
Emergencies, though unpredictable, can at least be mitigated with proper planning and resources. That starts with ensuring 911 response teams have the support networks and financial rewards needed to perform their duties well, and that authorities at the state level uphold higher standards of accountability.