CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — For the father of a 10-year-old girl having a violent allergic reaction, a call to 911 triggered waiting, wondering and worrying.
He was put on hold.
10 On Your Side has reported in the past on critical shortages of staff at local 911 call centers. Two years ago, Virginia Beach had to approve pay raises to retain and recruit dispatchers. In early 2024, it was Norfolk. Now, as it has been in the past, it’s Chesapeake.
Dispatch staffing shortage putting 911 calls on hold
The girl was having an allergic reaction at a local restaurant that could have cost her her life, but her father couldn’t make a crucial connection when she needed a lifeline…