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Council asks for written implementation plan before reverting 911 call‑taking to Richmond Ambulance Authority
Summary
At an informal session the Richmond City Council pressed for a detailed implementation plan and timeline before adopting an ordinance to return emergency medical dispatch call‑taking to the Richmond Ambulance Authority; RAA said it is ready but council wants written steps and backup procedures.
Council President Newbill and members of the Richmond City Council told staff they want a written implementation plan attached to the ordinance that would return 911 emergency medical dispatch call‑taking to the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA).
The request came during the docket review when the council called Chip Decker, CEO of the Richmond Ambulance Authority, to answer operational questions about the committee recommendation on item 21. "The Richmond Ambulance Authority stands ready, you know, to proceed as council wishes," Decker said, adding RAA would resume call‑taking following the established script when dispatch (DEC) transfers calls to them.
Why it matters: council members said an overnight switch without clear steps and contingencies could risk public safety. Vice President Jurden and others pressed for clarity on backup arrangements if RAA or DEC experiences an outage during any transition. Mr. Donnell, speaking for the city/dispatch side, referenced a prior transition in Augusta that took "somewhere in between 3 to 6 months," saying an implementation timeline and process are necessary to avoid mistakes that can cause harm.
Council members outlined specific concerns: staff training requirements, who does which tasks during rural or simultaneous calls, how backups would be handled if RAA becomes unavailable, and whether any staff reassignments would be needed. Several council members said those operational details — not the committee's recommendation itself — are the outstanding issue.
Councilwoman Robertson moved to continue the paper and to require that an implementation plan be attached to the ordinance; no formal roll‑call vote was recorded in the informal session. Clerk announcements afterward confirmed item 21 will remain on the regular agenda so the council can repeat the discussion in the formal meeting with public visibility and, at that time, determine next steps.
The council requested the administration and DEC representatives provide a written implementation plan addressing timeline, training, staffing, redundancy/backups and who will be the operational point persons. The matter will be discussed at the formal meeting and may return for a future vote once the plan is supplied.
