2008 News
February 13, 2008
Bucks County Commissioners, 911 Emergency Communications Officials Take Corrective Action Following Fatal Fire Call
In response to the Jan. 29, 2008 fire at 340 Doyle St. that resulted in the death of 53-year-old Doylestown Borough resident Brenda Orr, the Board of Bucks County Commissioners today detailed the findings of a 911 Emergency Communications investigation stemming from the incident. During a press conference at the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Commissioners James F. Cawley, Esq., chairman, Charles H. Martin, vice chairman and Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW were joined at the podium by Chief Operating Officer David M. Sanko, Emergency Communications Director Brent Wiggins, Bucks County Fire Marshal Nick Rafferty and Emergency Communications Superintendent of Operations Dennis Forsyth.
During his remarks, Chairman Cawley expressed “heartfelt condolences to Brenda Orr’s family and friends at this difficult time. We extend thoughts of sympathy, and we pray for their comfort. We know that this public controversy surrounding their loved one’s death offers little comfort and, for that, we are truly sorry.”
Both Cawley and Wiggins detailed a timeline of the incident, which was distributed as part of the investigation report.
“On Jan. 29, 2008, at approximately 10:31 in the morning, Brenda Orr placed a phone call to our 911 Communications Center in Doylestown,” Cawley explained. “The call rang six times. That was wrong. When the call was answered, it was placed on hold. That was wrong. When the call was serviced, there are some suggestions that Ms. Orr was treated discourteously. That was wrong. And, while the phone rang six times, there were 10 people on duty who were capable of answering the phone call who failed to do so – and that was wrong.”
According to the findings of the investigation, none of the 10 dispatchers available to answer the call “provided a reasonable explanation why they were unavailable to answer the 911 call.”
The investigation resulted in a series of corrective actions, including disciplinary action for 11 dispatchers and four supervisors, specific language putting 911 calls on hold within the departmental policies and procedures manual, and a policy to encourage individuals to provide the 911 center with information on disabled persons.
The commissioners and Emergency Communications Department officials noted that the opening of the new 911 Center in Ivyland during the summer of 2008 will provide additional enhancements to assure adequate center supervision and timely and accurate handling of 911 calls and dispatches, including:
- Supervisors’ consoles in the center of the room making them closer to all dispatch positions. Presently, the supervisors’ consoles are at the ends of the room;
- Automatic call distribution (ACD) capabilities that will automatically present the incoming call to the longest idle dispatcher;
Additional reporting capabilities to monitor the activity of the dispatch center that will enable the county to initiate improved performance management tools.
The report points out that the dispatch time for the January 29 call was 2:09 or 129 seconds. An analysis of the average time from receipt of call to dispatch for the previous 30 days for dwelling fires was 2:24 or 144 seconds.
Bucks County Emergency Services reminds citizens to install smoke detectors in their homes and change batteries regularly. Anyone who cannot afford a smoke detector should contact their local fire company or the county fire marshal’s office.
Full audio account of the news conference