FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Broward County officials met Tuesday to discuss a solution to fix the county’s 911 system. The agreement between Broward County and the Broward Sheriff’s Office to run the 911 communications system expired on New Year’s Day.
Since then, BSO has continued to operate the call centers.
Calls to 911 in Broward county will continue to be answered and responded to, county commissioners promised during Tuesday’s meeting, despite the contract with the sheriff’s office, who runs the system, having expired.
The two sides failed to agree on how to move forward.
Last year, it became apparent just how understaffed the 911 system was.
A Deerfield Beach family lost an infant who stopped breathing when calls to 911 went unanswered.
Later, a Hollywood woman watched her home burn in a fire when she couldn’t get ahold of 911 either.
Soon after, the county handed over $5 million and job vacancies went from 38% down to 11%, but the sheriff’s office wanted more.
“We are the professionals, the users that know this system inside and out,” said Sheriff Gregory Tony.
Commissioners didn’t budge.
“He wanted all or nothing, and that’s just not gonna happen,” said Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher.
Two million 911 calls a year are made in Broward County.
When the county looked at outsourcing, they couldn’t find a vendor in the country capable of handling that kind of volume.
“No company that does any large systems, that does regional system, and certainly not in an urbanized area like ours,” said County Administrator Monica Cepero.
This meant that their best bet seemed to be finding a way to make it work with the sheriff.
“Assuming we can work everything out, all the details, I would prefer that we continue to work with BSO as opposed as to going out and hiring someone else,” said Commissioner Steve Geller.
The next county commission meeting in Broward County is set for Jan. 24 with hopes of having a contract set in place.
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