INDIANAPOLIS — "You have reached 911 emergency dispatch. Do not hang up. If in danger, lay down the phone and go to safety. Police will be dispatched. Otherwise, stay on the line for the next available dispatcher. This message will be repeated in Spanish and tone."
That's the automated message that plays when a 911 operator isn't available to answer the phone.
Allison Beck says her family got that message when their 4-year-old had a seizure on Massachusetts Avenue on June 2.
“It was the most terrifying thing in the world. I have never had anything so scary happen to my son like that, and what added to the scare was what if we don’t get the help we need in this moment,” Beck said.
The same thoughts went through Carrie Petty and her husband's mind on June 4 when she crashed her bicycle.
WRTV first told Carrie's story on Tuesday.
"I was scared. I was bleeding out pretty badly from my arm, and he said 'Carrie I cant get through to 911,'" she said.
Both families say they waited at least 10 minutes for an operator to pick up the phone.
"I was just doing a ton of praying," Carrie said.
Data provided by the 911 Communications Center from the date of Carrie's accident shows 52 callers had a wait-time of at least two minutes or longer. 1,534 calls were answered within 10 seconds.
"I do respect the dispatchers that are in there answering calls everyday. It has to be a hard and mental strenuous job. I just want a solution so no other person has to sit and listen to that automated message," Beck said.
Director of the 911 Communications Center, Mark Brown, says the center is investigating and working on improving the system.
"We are constantly looking to see how we can make improvements with the time limits and things like that so that's an ongoing process for us," Brown said.
Right now, he said the center is short staffed.
There are:
- 31 911 operators
- 39 control operators
- 16 supervisors
- 15 Fire/EMS
- 13 personnel in training
"They're working long hours. We are short staffed so they are working overtime to compensate that," Brown said.
Officials understand the fear when calling 911, but they want the community to stay calm if they get the automated message.
If you hang up, you'll put yourself behind other callers.
"Don't hang up. We are definitely going to answer the call. When most people call 911, it's the worst day of their lives. We want to make sure we address that as quickly as possible — just don't hang up," Brown said.
The 911 Communications Center is hiring. The starting salary is more than $47,000.
To help with staffing, a new law goes into effect in July that will allow residents from outside of Marion County to apply.
For more information on the center, click here.
