Ariola asks about dispatcher disconnect; Maiano explains call routing
Ariola asks whether the delay was due to staffing or a dispatcher shortage. Maiano explains that 911 calls initially go to NYPD dispatchers and are transferred to EMS; when no EMS alarm receiving dispatcher is available, NYPD stays on the line and routes the call, while the system continuously searched for an available ambulance.
So you were holding about 274 calls, right, which is above the norm.
We received 274 calls, which was about 100 above the normal at that time during the day.
And do you think that the disconnect was because it was due to a lack of staffing or an EMS dispatcher was not available to speak to the caller?
So when someone calls 911, they initially talk to a police dispatcher.
That police dispatcher.
or ask questions, police, fire, EMS.
When it is determined that it is a request for EMS service, it is transferred from NYPD to EMS.
When there are no EMS alarm receiving dispatchers available, the NYPD dispatcher stays on the line, takes additional information, and then routes that call to EMS.
So the call itself is not lingering.
It is in the EMS system.
The system did, throughout this whole period of time, note that it was searching for ambulances, searching for ambulances, searching for ambulances.
But due to the surge in calls that we had at that time, we had none available.
As soon as an ambulance became available, the system alerted the radio dispatcher, who then dispatched the ambulance to the location.
And like I said, they were coming from a distance, and they did arrive at the scene.
But unfortunately, it was after the parent had left.