emergency

A new Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department master plan also suggests that the department needs more staff, some companies fail to meet response time standards and the department needs to accelerate replacing older vehicles. The meeting got testy because the fire chief said he did not know what any of this would cost.

Thanks to federal funds, 911 dispatchers and call centers are set for some major upgrades. Geolocation and new software are poised to bring a multitude of changes to the way emergency responders and dispatchers do their jobs.

Jason Cerrano got the idea for the SAM Control System about 15 years ago while working a house fire for the Pattonville Fire Protection District. The system is used in more than 120 fire departments in the U.S.

If you notice someone struggling with mental illness or substance abuse and posing a danger to themselves or others, Kansas City has resources beyond 911 to provide appropriate support.

More than 300,000 people are expected to head to Sedalia for the Missouri State Fair. Keeping that many people safe is a responsibility that’s actually too big for the town of about 22,000 people — but each year they get plenty of help.

Residents of South Hyde Park said they watched thieves comb through two stolen cars, then speed away, all while they were on hold with KCPD's 911.

The hold times for people calling for help from Kansas City Police at times have topped two minutes. Police hope a proposed automated phone menu could help, but the fire department says the change would be less efficient for them.

The hold times for people calling for help from Kansas City Police at times have topped two minutes. Police hope a proposed auto attendant could help, but the fire department says the change would be less efficient for them.

City and county officials are working to save ER services in the southeast Kansas community. If that doesn't work, they're trying to prepare by hiring more ambulance drivers.

The number of pediatric ER visits for mental health reasons has increased by an average of 8% each year. But Kansas City hospitals warn they aren't able to keep pace — and already, about half of kids are going untreated.

Previously, dispatchers were classified as clerical workers, which didn’t give them access to the benefits other first responders receive. Experts hope this will attract more candidates to the job.

Missouri joined a handful of states labeling emergency dispatchers as "first responders." Along with the new label comes advanced access to mental health resources and the formal naming of PTSD as an occupational hazard for the profession.