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Detroit Fire Department outlines nurse‑navigation pilot to divert low‑priority 9‑1‑1 calls
Summary
Detroit Fire Department officials told the Public Health & Safety committee a nurse‑navigation program would reroute low‑priority 9‑1‑1 calls to nurses to reduce non‑emergent ambulance dispatches; the department estimates about 150,000 annual 9‑1‑1 calls with roughly 25% non‑emergent and plans a vendor selection and pilot next winter.
The Detroit Fire Department presented a plan June 16 to reduce non‑emergency 9‑1‑1 responses by routing low‑priority calls to registered nurses for triage and coordination of alternatives such as telehealth, urgent care referrals or scheduled transports.
Deputy Commissioner Derek Hellman described the approach as an established model used in other jurisdictions and said Detroit receives about 150,000 9‑1‑1 calls annually, with roughly 25% categorized as low‑priority. "When I say low priority that means somebody that has like a twisted ankle or something that's not a true emergency," Hellman said. He said the program would reduce strain on ambulance crews and free resources for high‑priority calls.
Under the department's timeline, staff are in a Q3 bid‑review phase to select a vendor; the pilot would begin in January and a broader rollout is expected in the spring (Q2) following a soft launch. Hellman said vendors being considered include firms that can provide multi‑language phone translation (he cited the capacity to translate up to 200 languages) and telehealth integration.
Council members and committee members asked about partnerships and equity: the chair emphasized coordination with the health department to link callers to other city services and asked whether non‑English speakers could be served. Hellman confirmed translation capability and said companies under consideration offer telehealth integration and transportation coordination for patients without primary care access.
Members noted other cities' experience and expressed support for a careful public‑education rollout. No formal vote on program funding took place during the committee meeting; Hellman said the program had already been approved in the budget process and that staff would return with further details when vendor selection is complete.
