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There is no other way to say it other than it has been a weird week in RVA. We’re talking about a string of strange stories that make you scratch your head as you try and comprehend what you have just read or seen.
STORY #1 — 911, Please Hold
Take as the first weird example the city’s 911 system. It’s one of those things many take for granted but you want it to work fast when you actually need it. At the City Council Public Safety committee meeting this week, it was revealed that last July, the leadership of the the Stoney Administration decided to switch the call procedure for the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA). Sarah Vogelsong at The Richmonder reported that the semi-independent RAA made a plea at the committee meeting to regain control over calls for their services.
While all 911 calls have long been routed through Richmond’s Emergency Communications Center (DEC) , [RAA Chief Executive Officer Chip] Decker said that historically, responders at the ambulance authority were routinely looped into calls to speak directly with people seeking emergency help.
Decker said the change has not slowed response times but the responders have less detailed information to prioritize their calls and ensure they provide “the right response to the patient’s condition.”
He said last year’s change was one of “several things that we need to unwind” from Stoney’s administration concerning the RAA (talk about putting it mildly).
Decker told the committee that the RAA had won awards across the board for their for outstanding contribution to EMS health and safety and prioritizing, physical and mental health of their EMS providers.
When asked by 5th District Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch if the RAA was tracking the dropped or unanswered calls that come into 911 before being dispatched to RAA, Decker replied, “Some months back, the city stopped transferring calls to us and took over the emergency medical dispatch themselves. So department of emergency communications now does all of that. So we don't get the caller anymore.”
The DEC now accepts the call using the same system RAA uses (and can see in real
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