HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8320 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8320
Date: May 1, 2001
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
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fw*3 SUBJECT: 9-1-1 Telephone Switch Problems April 25, 2001
On April 25, 2001, the PBX telephone switch that processes 9-1-1 emergency calls and non-
emergency calls failed at 6-33 p.m. This telephone switch is located at -he primary Public Safety
Answering Point (PSAP) in the Public Safety Communications Facility at 3000 Bolt Street. Calls
were immediately rerouted to the City of Arlington's Communications Division in accordance with
procedures established in the Interlocal Agreement between the cities of Fort Worth and Arlington
for 9-1-1 service disruptions. There is no indication that any calls for emergency services were lost
during the switchover.
After 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls were rerouted to Arlington, both Police and Fire Department
communication operations were transferred from the Bolt Street communications facility to the
backup Public Safety Answering Point located at City Hall. The City of Arlington's Communications
Division answered 227 9-1-1 calls for Fort Worth until the backup PSAP was activated. These
calls consisted of: 202 calls for police services, 23 calls for fire/EMS services, and 2 abandoned
Calls.
The telephone switch failure occurred while Southwestern Bell Telephone technicians were
diagnosing and repairing problems detected earlier in the day. Repairs were completed by 10:48
p.m. and communication operations were transferred from City Hall back to the BojE Street facility at
11:07 p.m. A thorough review of communication operations, reroute procedures, equipment
reliability and Southwestern Bell Telephone service support is being conducted by the IT Solutions
Department to determine what action is required to reduce 9-1-1 service disruptions.
Further information will be provided upon request.
Gary Jackson
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS