Union Says Delay Launch Of Fairfield/Westport Combined 911 Dispatch

FAIRFIELD, CT — The union representing local emergency dispatchers is calling on Fairfield and Westport to delay the merger of a new combined 911 Telecommunications Center until more training is conducted.

In a statement sent to Patch Friday, Kevin Sheil, President of the Communications Workers of America Local 1103, said the union wants to ensure that "the person on the other end of a 911 call for help is adequately trained and confident" to handle emergency situations.

The Fairfield County Regional Dispatch is located on the campus of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, and opened last year with Fairfield police and fire.

Westport's dispatch, which already handles New Canaan's emergency calls, is slated to merge next week. Combining 911 calls from multiple municipalities in one centralized facility is designed to streamline the process and make the handling of emergency calls more efficient.

"What would the residents of Fairfield and Westport think, if they knew 911 telecommunicators were not properly cross-trained before merging?" Sheil said. "Putting telecommunicators in positions for a town that they have had little cross training is unfair and a blatant disregard for the safety of police officers, fire personnel, EMS personnel, citizens, and anyone traveling through Westport or Fairfield."

Patch reached out to the Fairfield Police Department for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

Sheil said the union does not oppose the merger, it just wants to see more training for dispatchers.

"My telecommunicators pride themselves on their skills, knowledge of geography, understanding of policies, SOPs and their relationships with our police and fire personnel," Sheil said. "The current cross training plan (or lack thereof) for this merger puts doubt and fear in their minds. The 911 telecommunicators, or 'first' first responders, represented by this union have expressed a genuine concern about the lack of cross training and the impact that can have where lives may be altered or lost due to a mistake that could have been avoided if proper planning occurred. That is something the residents of the community, or my members should not have to live with for the rest of their lives. We are not against the merger, but feel it needs to be delayed until adequate cross training is complete."