A new city audit released today says San Diego Fire-Rescue crews are taking far longer to get out the door than local and national targets call for, with firefighters often sitting for minutes after dispatch before leaving the station. Auditors say a 2019 dispatch protocol that keeps firefighters on hold while calls are triaged is a big reason why, and that the slow “turnout” times are pushing response times past the city’s goal of 6 minutes and 30 seconds.
What the audit found
The 60-page high-risk re-review from the Office of the City Auditor found that, over the review period, average turnout time was roughly 2 minutes and 54 seconds. For some ambulance dispatches, crews did not roll out for an average of 4 minutes and 20 seconds. Those delays…..