Delaware County Residents Put Pressure On Sheriff To Fix 911 System

People are frustrated with the county commissioners, and the county commissioners say their hands are tied, that it's up to the sheriff to fix the system.

Tuesday, June 25th 2013, 6:28 pm

By: News On 6


A Delaware County Commissioner is demanding answers from the sheriff about 911 dispatch center delays.

A young girl drowned at a pool near Jay about a week ago, while a dispatcher struggled to send an ambulance.

People are frustrated with the county commissioners, and the county commissioners say their hands are tied, that it's up to the sheriff to fix the system.

There was standing room only, as a handful of people addressed the Delaware County commissioners about something they say is an ongoing problem.

"It's four minutes and 45 seconds of begging and pleading for help," said Delaware County resident Michael Morris.

"It took the ambulance 45 minutes to get there," said Donna Parson.

People are fed up with the sheriff's office dispatch center, saying emergency service takes entirely too long.

6/21/2013 Related Story: Critics Question Delaware County 911 Dispatcher's Delay After Girl Drowns

On June 15, 7-year-old Kaitlynn Garcia was found at the bottom of a Lake Eucha pool. After the 911 call went out, the dispatcher seemed confused and it took him several minutes to finally send help.

CALLER: "Hurry! We don't know if she's breathing or not. She's got a hot dog or something stuck in and she was in the water."
DISPATCH: "Can you hold for a minute, please?"

"Any time you lose life, especially if you lose a child--I have kids, and it gets real close to my heart when that takes place," said County Commissioner Danny Duncan.

Duncan said this problem is happening too often in the southern part of the county.

He said it's time for Sheriff Harlan Moore to do something about the flawed system.

"Come to the table with your plan and let the commissioners know what steps you're going to do to correct the problem. Very simple," Duncan said.

6/24/2013 Related Story: Delaware County 911 Dispatchers Getting Training From Card System

The Delaware County sheriff says, before this incident, dispatchers were already on track to train on what is called the "card" system.

It helps dispatchers get the right information from callers and then give the caller information on how to help.

"Why didn't they train them before? Why are they waiting until all these deaths are going on?" Parson said.

"I think it's a broken system, and I think it should not wait. I think this is something that should be fixed immediately," said Stephanie Grant, with the Flint Ridge Volunteer Fire Department.

We tried to talk to Sheriff Moore after the meeting, but he had to leave to tend to a problem at the jail.

The District Attorney is investigating the circumstances of Kaitlynn Garcia's death.

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