Regional Center Opens, Hit by Phone Glitch

A 911 and computer glitch at the just-opened Montgomery County (Ohio) Regional Dispatch Center has forced officials to take the center off-line and revert back to the old comm center to handle dispatching operations. A dispatcher could face discipline for mishandling the first 911 call, which led to a 15-minute response delay. The center has been planned for two years, and opened last Wednesday. But on Thursday several 911 calls reporting a fire went astray, officials said. A computer problem prevented a dispatcher from entering verifying the caller’s location. But officials say the caller clearly gave her address and city, and the dispatcher transferred her call to the Dayton city comm center instead of sending emergency units. An elderly woman was injured and her house was destroyed by the fire. The new center is operated by the sheriff and handles dispatching for 17 jurisdictions, with other to join later. Read more and listen to the fire 911 calls here.