On Monday February 7, 2011 theAustin Austin American Statesman reported that over the past year there were 6,000 emergency calls placed on hold. Due to the high turnover rates of operators and no added positions in almost ten years, the shortage could hang around for a while. The Capital Area of City Council did however; approve a new system that is supposed to take affect this spring. With the old system in place, it gave operators very little information as to how long the caller was placed on hold and the severity of their call. The new system is believed to have better tracking information in order to resolve this issue. But that’s only half the problem, with only 79 full time operators serving the whole Austin area, the deficit isn’t going to disappear easily, as the chairperson of Commission said “We are going to have to revisit the situation.” I believe this article is worth reading because it’s an issue that affects everybody. Also, it’s of high importance, people call 911 to seek help or in extreme cases and to be placed on hold and not given immediate attention is not only unsafe but also scary. I know myself along with others would probably much rather have the peace of mind knowing that in an unexpected dangerous situation you will receive guaranteed assistance.
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