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Accusers claim 911 operators overworked
Updated: Thursday, 07 Mar 2013, 9:38 AM EST
Published : Wednesday, 06 Mar 2013, 10:40 PM EST
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - 10 On Your Side investigated allegations of critical staffing shortages, unsafe working conditions and extensive mandatory overtime at the Virginia Beach Emergency Communications Center.
The allegations sent to WAVY.com say employees are mandated to work 48 hours of overtime in a 28-day period during their already long weeks. It notes unsafe working conditions due to workers being tired.
Director Athena Plummer denied these claims.
"There are some employees that can handle longer hours than others, but we always want to work for the greater good of the employee because this job takes a lot of focus," Plummer said.
The allegations detail a Dec. 5 incident when crews were called to a cardiac arrest.
The database read "Green Lakes Drive in the Green Run" section of Virginia Beach, when the incident actually occurred on Greenwell Road in the Chesapeake Beach section miles away. The allegations state a veteran dispatcher was working overtime.
"We investigated that issue and found it was a personnel issue, so there's not much more I can say," Plummer said.
Plummer said the employee was not working overtime and according to her, there are very few incidents like these. To avoid instances of workers feeling like they have had enough, Plummer said the center provides a quiet room to de-stress.
She said the center, which receives more than 500,000 calls annually, is working to hire more employees.
10 On Your Side has requested records to see how often an instance of a wrong address has risen to the level of a supervisor.
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