Despite efforts to improve, Philadelphia's 911 dispatch system still faces challenges in accurately locating people in distress on the city's extensive trail network.
Despite efforts to fix the problem, 911 dispatchers still struggle to locate injured people on Philly trails. An 81-year-old Center City resident fell and hit her head on the Schuylkill River Trail; 911 help was delayed. Barbara Krassenstein walks with her dog Savannah on Dec. 31, 2024, along the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia . Back in October, the 81 year old was walking her dog on the trail in Center City when she fell and struck her head.
A good samaritan called 911, but the dispatcher had trouble pinpointing their location without a cross street.Barbara Krassenstein was lying unconscious on the Schuylkill River Trail in Center City. Blood poured from a gash where the 81-year-old hadAn unidentified Good Samaritan called 911. But help on that October morning was significantly delayed. The dispatcher had no idea how to pinpoint their location, according to Jessan Groenendyk, an avid cyclist who stopped to help and overheard the 911 call.“The dispatcher was refusing to dispatch paramedics to a medical emergency because they required a ‘precise location’ and apparently ‘the Schuylkill River Trail under the 676 overpass’ is not precise enough,” Groenendyk recounted. “It could have been life-threatening.” A spokesperson for Philadelphia Police Department, which runs the city’s 911 dispatch center, last week declined comment and refused to give the Inquirer the 911 recording, saying the Oct. 8 call remains under investigation. The spokesperson did say dispatchers, in general, can’t send help without first entering specific coordinates into the 911 computer system. Cell-phone users can drop an electronic pin to meet up with friends or summon an Uber to their exact location with the touch of a button, but Philadelphia’s 911 emergency-response system remains spotty on the city’s nearly 200 miles of trails. The problem, which is not unique to Philadelphia and occurs on trails statewide, generally happens when the 911 caller can’t identify a nearby cross stree
Emergency Services 911 Philadelphia Trails Location Services
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Calls That Haunt: 911 Dispatchers Share Their Most Distressing ExperiencesThis article features accounts from 911 dispatchers about the calls that have left a profound and lasting impact on them. The stories touch on themes of tragedy, loss, and the emotional toll of their profession.
Read more »
Trump's would-be assassin's father called 911 looking for son hours after shooting: 'We're kind of worried'Nearly five hours after Donald Trump was shot, Matthew Crooks called 911.
Read more »
911 tapes reveal chaotic moments after NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and brother were killedNewly released audio and video includes police bodycam video of the alleged drunk driver after he hit Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau on a rural New Jersey road.
Read more »
Frantic 911 audio from fatal crash that killed NHL's Johnny Gaudreau, brother releasedNJ police release bodycam footage arresting Sean Higgins after fatal accident killed NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother
Read more »
Juneau 911 problemsJuneau 911 problems
Read more »
Layton Police arrest bank robbery suspect after she allegedly calls 911 herselfLayton Police say they have arrested a bank robbery suspect following her allegedly calling 911 on herself after they had given up pursuit.
Read more »