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Are there too many 911 call centers in Utah? The Utah state auditor says there might be, after discovering the high number of transfers from one center to another.
Audit Supervisor Jake Dinsdale says this problem is especially bad in Millard County and Pleasant Grove, where those transfers can add up to a minute to emergency response times. Minutes, he adds, which can be precious in an emergency.
Dinsdale cites one case where a family in Park City had their 911 call accidentally re-routed to Salt Lake County.
“They mistakenly sent it to Park City police, that doesn’t do medical, or didn’t. They are no longer in existence. Park City police transferred it to the Summit County Sheriff. All these transfers delayed that response and the child ultimately didn’t make it,” Dinsdale said.
Public safety officials say any kind of medical situation should be taken care of first before a 911 call is transferred.