911 Director: Time Warner Cable "putting public safety in jeopardy"
Published: 1/03 4:45 pm
Updated: 1/03 6:37 pm
Wampsville (WSYR-TV) - In an emergency, dialing 911 is expected to connect you to a dispatcher who can help. For many Time Warner Digital Phone customers, however, that may not be the case.
The company that maintains Time Warner's Digital Phone database has changed and a lot of information seems to have fallen through the cracks. Without that information, emergency responders could be delayed seconds or even minutes when they're needed the most.
Call takers at a 911 center are trained to provide advice on how to handle an emergency situation until health arrives.
"Whether it's medical, fire, law enforcement related - seconds do make a difference," said Madison County 911 Director Paul Hartnett.
Recently, some of the vital moments are being lost. Hartnett says, Time Warner customers who've dialed for help have, in some cases, been routed to a call center in Colorado where the 3rd party who maintains Time Warner's phone database is located. Call takers there are gathering information about the nature of the problem and then re-routing it back to the county 911 center.
This call, recorded by Madison County 911 last week, illustrates the problem:
It took 38 seconds just for the local dispatcher to actually speak with the man who called 911. Then, he had to ask all the same questions the call center employee had, causing added frustration in an already tense situation.
The delay is not the only problem. Normally, when someone calls 911 from a landline or VOIP, a dispatcher's screen lights up with the name, telephone number and address of the person calling and the agencies they should dispatch. Over the last few weeks, calls from Time Warner customers have instead caused a message reading "NO RECORD FOUND" to appear on that screen.
This means that if a Time Warner Digital Phone customer is unable to give dispatchers their exact location, 911 may not know where to send the emergency crews. These problems seem to be random and are not isolated within Madison County. They're also happening in Onondaga, Jefferson, Cayuga and Oswego Counties.
"Directors, commissioners of 911 centers are emailing, comparing notes and trying to come up with a game plan on what we can do when really it's Time Warner's responsibility to work with us and fix this sooner rather than later," said Hartnett.
The issues started in early December, when Time Warner switched from Sprint to Intrado. Although he's made his complaints clear, Director Hartnett says Time Warner hasn't done much about it.
"They're putting public safety in jeopardy because they're delaying calls. We've had medical calls, and other calls. We've dodged a bullet so far," said Hartnett.
About this subject, Time Warner Cable Regional Communications Manager Stephanie Salanger released this statement:
The company that maintains Time Warner's Digital Phone database has changed and a lot of information seems to have fallen through the cracks. Without that information, emergency responders could be delayed seconds or even minutes when they're needed the most.
Call takers at a 911 center are trained to provide advice on how to handle an emergency situation until health arrives.
"Whether it's medical, fire, law enforcement related - seconds do make a difference," said Madison County 911 Director Paul Hartnett.
Recently, some of the vital moments are being lost. Hartnett says, Time Warner customers who've dialed for help have, in some cases, been routed to a call center in Colorado where the 3rd party who maintains Time Warner's phone database is located. Call takers there are gathering information about the nature of the problem and then re-routing it back to the county 911 center.
This call, recorded by Madison County 911 last week, illustrates the problem:
911: Police communication?
Intrado: I'm calling from Intrado, a call center for Time Warner Cable, I have a subscriber on the line that dialed 911. They're trying to get through to you, they have a medical emergency.
911: Okay, what's the address madam?
Intrado: They need an ambulance at 4289 Canal Street.
911: Could I speak with them, or?
Intrado: You sure can, it's going to be a female with difficulty breathing. Do you want their call back or mine?
911: If I'm going to talk to her, I'll get it from her.
Intrado: You're going to talk to her husband, his name is John. John your dispatcher is on the line.
911: Hi Sir, how are you?
John: Not good, you need to get a F***ing ambulance here right now!
It took 38 seconds just for the local dispatcher to actually speak with the man who called 911. Then, he had to ask all the same questions the call center employee had, causing added frustration in an already tense situation.
The delay is not the only problem. Normally, when someone calls 911 from a landline or VOIP, a dispatcher's screen lights up with the name, telephone number and address of the person calling and the agencies they should dispatch. Over the last few weeks, calls from Time Warner customers have instead caused a message reading "NO RECORD FOUND" to appear on that screen.
This means that if a Time Warner Digital Phone customer is unable to give dispatchers their exact location, 911 may not know where to send the emergency crews. These problems seem to be random and are not isolated within Madison County. They're also happening in Onondaga, Jefferson, Cayuga and Oswego Counties.
"Directors, commissioners of 911 centers are emailing, comparing notes and trying to come up with a game plan on what we can do when really it's Time Warner's responsibility to work with us and fix this sooner rather than later," said Hartnett.
The issues started in early December, when Time Warner switched from Sprint to Intrado. Although he's made his complaints clear, Director Hartnett says Time Warner hasn't done much about it.
"They're putting public safety in jeopardy because they're delaying calls. We've had medical calls, and other calls. We've dodged a bullet so far," said Hartnett.
About this subject, Time Warner Cable Regional Communications Manager Stephanie Salanger released this statement:
"TWC has deployed a state-of-the-art E-911 system that offers several key advantages over more traditional systems, including real-time address validation. Our solution complies fully with FCC rules and industry standards, and it also is based on the same technology the federal government is considering mandating for "Next Generation 911" services, so we will be well-positioned to comply with any new rules as soon as new standards are implemented.
In the very rare cases where errors in routing 911 calls or when errors in the 911 address database occur-which happens from time to time under any 911 system-calls are routed to the Emergency Call Relay Center managed by TWC's E911 partner in Colorado, rather than to the default or incorrect 911 answering location. This call center allows TWC to determine the customer's location and route the call to the appropriate emergency answering center. This has happened only in a extremely small number of cases since TWC began transitioning to its new 911 system. TWC has been continually working with local 911 authorities to ensure they understand the details of TWC's 911 system and will continue to do so.
TWC has always been and remains committed to providing the highest quality E-911 services for its customers. We will continue to work with local E-911 officials and agencies to ensure they are aware of, understand and are satisfied with TWC's E-911 system and all of its functionalities."
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davidhumphrey - 12:06 AM
i fund that 911 call centers are more concerned about their public image than public safety. i've reported crimminal activity in mercer mill apartment complex numerouse times and request sheriff deputies and state police everytime, yet no one showed so i could file criminal charges against the perpetrators. iused to be a strong supportor of the new york state sheriff's association and several pba's but the cops are too busy driving around or sleeping it off.
skinnyturtle - 1/3/2011 10:37 PM
*first of all im sorry for the typos if any,sleeping sick child on lap and typing in the dark* This happened to us, my daughter was choking and the first dispacher that i spoke to was in madison county,they had to get some one from onondaga county on the line to help us. it took an ambulance over 9 min to get to our house and we only live 3 miles from the fire dep. By the time they got to the house my little girl had coughed so hard the blood vessels in her eyes popped and it looked like some one punched her in her face several times. She was so short of breath her eyes were rolling in the back of her head but she did one last caugh and managed to get it out just as they were walking in the door. I had the emt take her vitals and her oxygen was reading in the 40's and her heart rate was out of control. If i have to talk to some one in Colorado to tell them about my emergency in NY, i think im better off just calling my brother who lives there, shoot the s h i t for 20 min and hope my child can place their own cast on their broken arm.
irishcaileag - 1/3/2011 9:50 PM
When we first got our phone service it didn't work. We called TWC and they said they would send a guy out to work it out that morning. Sometime before noon. The truck pulled in less than 20 min later. It turned out when we turned in our RR modem for one with digital phone capabilities they forgot to switch it on the computer. It was an easy fix. Then he offered to return the equiptment that I needed to return. We have had our cable installers do extra for us and give us little perks. We have had maybe 2 dropped calls and after that initial problem the only time we have had a phone issue or cable/ RR issue is when the whole system had a problem and you see the notice on the news. I didn't realize this many people were having these problems with the company. They really should get their act together.
The Armorer - 1/3/2011 9:25 PM
When we had TWC phone installed a few months ago, they told us yhat our home is listed with them as a 2 family rental property even though it isn't, nor ever has been. They then went on to explain that we were wrong, and even after we provided proof thru tax role records, they still insisted that we were wrong. They said that we would have to pay for 2 seperate phone services and 2 911 services. It took about 3 hrs and 5 phone caalls to straighten it out. One night, we had to utalize 911 for my wife who was having chest pain and the 911 operator said that our address wasn't coming up as a Fulton address. It was coming up as a Fultonville address. It took almost 10 minutes to get the FD and Ambulance to our house! TWC's response to this when I called to ream them the next day wasn't even an 'We're sorry', it was a "do you realize you are almost a month late paying your bill" and the person I wasspeaking to wasn't even in NY, and she had a serious oriental accent to a point I almost couldn't understand her. Caused us to go back to Windstream.
Lookatreality - 1/3/2011 9:22 PM
This is why they are raising the rates!!! They have to pay for the call centers to work as 911 operators as well as tech support. Look on the bright side, the call wasn't sent to India!! All I can picture is the credit card company commercial when the guy in some other country answers the phone as customer service and says "Hi my name is Peggy can I help you?!?!" Yeah for yet another one of TW's lack of ability to provide service. They "reduced" my signal at my house and I lost cable, phone, and Internet. Rather then return the signal to the right strength I get to run an amplifier on my dime to "up" the strength. GIVE ME A BREAK!! I wish I was a utility so I could hold people's feet to the fire to line my pockets and do nothing to improve service. I see a lawsuit coming if someone dies or is seriously injured with this delay. Of course TW is NOT at fault according to their company. I've also been getting "circuits are busy, try again later", for two weeks with no explanation!!
Nighthawk75 - 1/3/2011 8:49 PM
Now Now Now! Lets not put ALL the BLAME on TWC!!! I for one have very credible proof as to JUST HOW DISFUNCTIONAL the Madison County 911 Control Center Is. I wont put the blame on ALL the dispatchers but I can attest to the fact that they are provided with tools and ya know....... it's a PREFERENCE if those tools actually make it to where they are supposed to go! SO - before the complaints stream in solely against TWC, Mr. Hartnett and his TACTICS are doing just as good by "putting public safety in Jeopardy!" I REST MY CASE!
Maxinhomer - 1/3/2011 8:47 PM
Factsonly, My road runner would just drop off and you'd have to reboot the modem, router, and computer each time. Sometimes it would kick off ten times a night. I had TWC out here half a dozen times. It was always an issue on my end; computer, software, router, etc. Finally one guy went and climbed the pole. Come to find out, the little circuit box on the wire was full or water. Every time the wind would blow it would jiggle the wire and cut the signal. The guy brought these little node things that were 90% rust and said this is what caused the problem. So after nine months, countless calls, and a lot of nasty conversations with techs, it finally got solved.
Factsonly - 1/3/2011 8:28 PM
I have had many, "circuits are busy, try again later", messages when I try to call someone. Plus, dropped calls. It seems like anytime there's a problem, TWC always says it's the cable running to the house. But the problem never seems to get resolved. What gives?
1rspcd - 1/3/2011 7:28 PM
And on top of that, try dealing with your RoadRunner/Digital Phone Modem rebooting whenever it feels like leaving you no service while the modem is rebooting which can take several minutes. One Tech diagnosed a problem with electrical feedback within the household ground. That was resoved. Modem was swapped out at least 5 times. Now they say that they may have to replace every cable on the outside right back to the pole. We pay for the service which should work with no problems.
Maxinhomer - 1/3/2011 6:59 PM
It's bullshi* like this that is likely to cause the certain demise of TWC if they continue on this course...
irishcaileag - 1/3/2011 6:55 PM
aps132 - Oh yeah FYI fire control dispatches Fire and Ambulance services.
wmiller4 - 1/3/2011 6:52 PM
as long as you pay that HUGE bill time warner sends you they could care less if you get help, unless you need help writing the check to them.. and to think they just raised the rates AGAIN as they will every year.... time warner is over priced and is a monopoly in the CATV business.... nuff said
irishcaileag - 1/3/2011 6:50 PM
aps132 - That's because your listening to a POLICE scanner. County public safety is not the same as county fire control. If your only listening to the police dispatches your not hearing 90% of the medical and fire calls because a lot of the medical and fire calls do not involve police response.
irishcaileag - 1/3/2011 6:49 PM
aps132 - That's because your listening to a POLICE scanner. County public safety is not the same as county fire control. If your only listening to the police dispatches your not hearing 90% of the medical and fire calls because a lot of the medical and fire calls do not involve police response.
irishcaileag - 1/3/2011 6:47 PM
If I ever have to dial 911 from my house and I get some idiot in Colorado I will be hanging up and dialing Fire Control directly (from my cell). Ugh how annoying.
aps132 - 1/3/2011 6:32 PM
This is one instance of a legitimate call to a 911 Center. Most of the calls are not life threatening emergencies which 911 Centers were created to assist. Calls are usually from idiots who want someone, usually Police, to play mediator in a quality of life issue in their mundane lives. Listen to a police scanner on any given night. Time Warner will fix the problem and 911 can once again expedite patrol cars to complaints such as barking dogs, fireworks, kids acting out and the parents can't control them, loud music from the neighbors,and on and on and...
Snoopy1069 - 1/3/2011 6:30 PM
This is just GREAT!!! When I call 911, I EXPECT to get 911 NOT a twc rep. Also, I don't want to talk to someone in Colorado! I LIVE in NY!
emtdude - 1/3/2011 5:55 PM
Time Warner Cable sucks and the phone service is terrible. the other day my Dad tried to call out for 3 hours and was getting some response like, this is channel 35 or something. Would have been nice if it was an emergency. Time warner should be sued.
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