Firefighters Are Clear—It Was Dispatcher’s Fault

Two of five DeKalb County (Geo.) firefighters fired for failing to locate a fire that killed a 74 year-old woman held a press conference yesterday, and pointed the finger of blame directly at the county dispatchers who handled the incident. County officials say an unnamed dispatcher fielded a hang-up 911 call at 1:03 a.m., and heard a female voice say, “I set the house on fire with the thing from my nose (oxygen concentrator). Can you come out here quick?” The calltaker obtained the address of the house. Dispatchers then sent four fire companies to investigate. However, when the crews arrived at 1:15 a.m., they couldn’t locate the house (no visible house number), didn’t spot any smoke or flames from their rigs, and never walked up to the house or knocked on the door. Two Dunwoody police units also arrived, but police say they were waved off by firefighters upon arrival. [read more]

After seven minutes of investigation, the fire units went in service. At 6:18 a.m. a neighbor noticed smoke from the victim’s house and dialed 911 again. This time firefighters located the house and found the victim and her dog dead inside. During yesterday’s press conference, the two firefighters said dispatchers never told them someone might be trapped or was otherwise inside a burning house. In fact, after they found nothing and radioed for further information, a dispatcher told them there was none. The county’s public safety director later resigned, possibly over this incident. Read more about the incident here, and about the firefighters’ press conference here.