Wichita Fire Department faces scrutiny over 911 call response and dispatch delays

The Wichita City Council held a special meeting on December 16, 2024, to discuss critical findings from a recent incident involving the Sedgwick County Emergency Communications Center (SCECC) and the Wichita Fire Department. The meeting highlighted significant operational challenges and technology issues that arose during a fatal emergency response.

Brian Nelson, a technical liaison from Jensen Hughes, presented an analysis of the emergency communications system. He noted that while the SCECC utilized industry-standard technology, including systems from Motorola and Tyler Technologies, there were notable shortcomings in the dispatch process. A key issue was the failure to relay critical information, specifically the apartment unit number, which was misheard during a 911 call. This miscommunication delayed the response of the Wichita Fire Department.

The report indicated that the call was answered within the appropriate time frame, but the dispatcher struggled to understand the caller due to audio quality issues and the use of dual headsets, which complicated communication. Nelson emphasized that the technology used for recording calls was of high quality, but the audio experienced by dispatchers was not, leading to misunderstandings.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the delay in dispatching a second alarm, attributed to a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) issue. Multiple dispatchers were unable to recall the necessary steps to activate the second alarm, prompting immediate retraining for all staff shortly after the incident.

Vernon Champlin from Jensen Hughes followed with an assessment of the Wichita Fire Department's operational response. He confirmed that the department met national response time benchmarks but noted that several operational policies were not adhered to during the incident. The analysis revealed that while the fire department's operational manual was thorough and up to date, the execution of certain protocols fell short.

The council's discussions underscored the importance of addressing these operational and technological challenges to enhance public safety and ensure effective emergency responses in the future. The findings from this meeting will likely lead to further evaluations and improvements within the emergency response framework in Wichita.