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DEL.ICIO.USGwinnett 911
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The female caller saw a man attack a woman.
So she dialed 911 on her cell phone.
“Gwinnett County, 911,” answered Susan Gifford, a supervisor who took the call. “Do you have an emergency?”
“Yes mam,” the caller said. “I was driving down Northbrook Parkway near Jimmy County Boulevard. There is a guy and a lady at the bus stop and he was punching her in the face. When I was driving by, he punched her twice.”
Gifford asked pertinent details. She verified the street (Brook Hollow Parkway, not Northbrook Parkway) possible landmarks (a Hindu temple); the caller’s name and cell phone number; what the man was wearing; whether he had a weapon or not.
“I didn’t see any weapon in his hand,” the caller said.
Gifford entered the information into the computer, then patched it over to the dispatch desk before she even completed the call. Within minutes, two patrol cars were dispatched to the scene.
On Wednesday, the Badie Tour spent a couple of hours in the county’s 911 center. I wanted to observe the action, given the recent tragic mishap in North Fulton that has been reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Darlene Dukes of Johns Creek died Aug. 2 from a blood clot in her lung. Gina Conteh, a 911 dispatcher, sent help to southwest Atlanta rather than north Fulton. It took 25 minutes before another dispatcher realized emergency crews were looking in the wrong place. It took another 20 minutes before Fulton officials realized they had dispatched fire and police, but not an ambulance.
Everybody makes mistakes, but being involved in one that claims a life is pretty severe. So heads have rolled. Alfred “Rocky” Moore, the 911 center director, has been reassigned. Conteh of Lilburn has been fired.
My question is: What took so long?
Conteh’s personnel file, obtained by the AJC through the Georgia Open Records Law, is rife with incidents. It shows at least seven suspensions for everything from fighting with co-workers to sleeping - sleeping, mind you - while on duty.
Let’s hope some good comes out of Dukes’ death. Maybe our neighboring county will build a better 911 operation. Maybe everybody’s truly alert and aware of the impact communications has on the safety of citizens, firefighters, cops and paramedics.
“A call-taker gets information to assist the [responding officers and emergency personnel],” Gifford told me between calls. “With dispatchers, your focus stays on officer safety. You keep up with where they are; where each unit is; what they are doing. You work to serve the citizens, but officer safety is paramount.”
I spent an hour or so with Gifford, listening to calls and watching her direct them. The technology is amazing. Say someone calls in on a cell phone and can’t give their location. The Gwinnett 911 center has a software system that - by using cell tower locations or the cell phone’s global positioning chip - can pinpoint the origin of the call, or at least get first responders within its vicinity.
Before I leave, another interesting call comes in. A school bus driver says a man, carrying a bag of groceries, is walking in the middle of the road in the Grayson area.
“He looks drunk,” she told Gifford.
“We appreciate your calling,” Gifford said. “We’ll get someone there.”
Rick Badie updates his blog daily. Readers who want to discuss the people, places, events and topics he writes about may post comments online or contact Badie directly. He can be reached at 770-263-3875 or via e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By LT5000
August 14, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
Rick,
Maybe you should have examined the Affirmative Action policy of Fulton 911.
That’s the only reason to keep such an incompetent at the call center after so many incidents.
LT5000
By Bruce Wilcox
August 14, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this
It is a high pressure job, how anyone could fall asleep is beyond me? After seeing her record on the news, how could she keep her job? Even being a civil service employee never gives anyone that much protection, there has to be more to it.
Even before computers a boy who was slightly retarded called the city across the river from us and gave his address to report a fire. The dispatcher quickly checked his book and the number on the street the boy gave didn’t go up that high.
Keeping his head, using common sense and knowing the area he realize that the street in our city did the numbers did go that high and told the boy to wait on the sidewalk and called us.
We emptied the house, it was ours, the boy was safe, the dining room didn’t look so good, the dispatcher had common sense and kept his cool.
In this day and age we need computers, but maybe some rely on them too much and lose all common sense?
By dixiewife
August 14, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Now her lawyers appealing the firing !! How insane can ppl get. She got fired for not doing her job. Oh wait. She’s black. Thats right. Shes a poor deprived black employee who has it so hard in the workplace. I guess thats the reason she gave for her anger, and her sleeping on the job. Unfortunatly her lawyer doesnt care about someone dying. 2100 pages of a report shows you just how incapable she was. It’s a damn shame that race dictated that she kept her job for as long as she did.
By "Charles", The Original
August 14, 2008 11:33 PM | Link to this
Earlier in my career, I worked as a mid-level manager and participated in the company’s hiring process. The job to be filled was a critical position. And the position attracted many qualified candidates and borderline candidates too. But politics dictated that we employ a white person, preferably male.
The buck didn’t stop near my desk. I argued to hire a white male with better character and qualifications. But guess which applicant got the job? You are correct. The borderline white male was hired.
Americans should be smart enough to understand what is taking place. The question is why would people hire what amounts to a flunky? The answer is because deviants with ultimate authority within a system will be able to break every existing rule, law, and norm without challenge.
A borderline employee in a sensitive position won’t contest anything. They won’t defend the Constitution or the American way because should they make waves, and be fired as a consequence, they won’t acquire that level of quality employment again; now that should be self-evident.
The late Hosea Williams used to call on African Americans in his latter years to march with him for justice. And he seemed confused because he rarely attracted the attention of people with quality employment. I don’t think he understood the new hiring process.
The business of employing borderline employees in sensitive positions is occurring in every area of employment in the United States. That kind of employee is unprepared to take a moral position. And the result is that we all suffer. Yesterday it was Darlene Dukes of Johns Creek. Business as usual will result in similar outcomes.
By Scott
August 15, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this
And she actually wants to appeal her firing? What..so she can watch soap operas while she works? She gets her job back lets see how many people move out of Fulton County so they know that IF they need help the other county 911 operators will get it right
By Scott
August 15, 2008 12:25 AM | Link to this
And she actually wants to appeal her firing? What..so she can watch soap operas while she works? She gets her job back lets see how many people move out of Fulton County so they know that IF they need help the other county 911 operators will get it right and not have family members plan their funerals
By Bruce Wilcox
August 15, 2008 3:38 AM | Link to this
Rascist’s for some reason always make me laugh, they’re experts on any position, any situation, as long as they can blame it on another race or ethnic group. It really doesn’t surprise me, their grand daddies use to enjoy those mid-night rides.
Tell me people, what happen to the very WHITE Boy Scout leader that molested your children for many years?
If anyone here can show any Federal Rule about who you can hire, quota’s, or a certain percentage of the staff HAS to be this, I bet your butt you can’t. You’re just keep repeating the same moosedung your daddy’s told you. Rednecks, will they ever get a clue?
Wasn’t her boss white? Was HE doing his job? Something is wrong, it wouldn’t happen in New York.
Take it from someone who was dispatched.
By LT5000
August 15, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
From Brucie our resident idiot.
“Wasn’t her boss white? Was HE doing his job? Something is wrong, it wouldn’t happen in New York.”
*A 911 operator failed to properly classify a desperate cellphone call from one of the four teenagers who disappeared in the icy waters off the Bronx on Friday night, an error that delayed a police response for 14 hours, officials said yesterday. *
Now for the next instance of Brucie chronic idiocy.
Brucie states “If anyone here can show any Federal Rule about who you can hire, quota’s, or a certain percentage of the staff HAS to be this, I bet your butt you can’t. “
From the Dept of Labor:
*OFCCP issued specific national goals for women. The female goal of 6.9 percent was extended indefinitely in 1980 and remains in effect today. *
Yep that’s a numerical goal for you Brucie. Thanks for putting your ignorance on display.
LT5000
By LT5000
August 15, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this
Oh yeah, I hope everyone will notice that Brucie has now adopted the Obama defense. If someone disagrees with you they are “Racist”.
Brucie also, for some unknown reason had to bring up Boy Scouts getting molested. Undoubtedly a standing deposit in his “Spank Bank”.
I trust Brucie will remember that the Boy Scouts had Affirmative Action forced upon them and couldn’t reject Scout leaders if they were gay. And we all see who paid the price.
Brucie, please use your head for something other than a semen receptacle.
LT5000
By Bruce Wilcox
August 15, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this
lt, why you make us laugh so hard, was the Bronx dispatcher dispatched? Oh no, Mr. Bill, poor lt can’t read. Goals for women, now under what United States Code is goal now listed or considered a LAW or a RULE.
Again lt thanks for the laughs, now go back under mommies sheets.
By LT5000
August 15, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
Brucie,
You have been proven wrong again. Face it, you are a moron and I will beat you down every time with the facts.
Will you be calling me a racist Brucie to try and distract everyone from your chronic ignorance?
LT5000
By Mitchel Thunderbolt
August 20, 2008 4:59 PM | Link to this
Hey racists…her color has nothing to do with how she performs her job. Your all just a bunch of backwards ignorant racists who need to be put out of your misery. Your old school way of thought is dead, so is your generation….your ruining my south. Yes this individual did a bad job….that has nothing to do with her being black. Sorry that they did’nt choose you you stupid white piece of trash, maybe if you went to college instead of community college you could get a job too. And yeah I’m a white male! Yes I’m calling you dumb and racists, yes I want you all (rich white f***) gone