CFD Personnel Reorganization – update 2
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The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), which oversees the 9-1-1 communications center, is set to implement a series of personnel changes that will take effect on January 1, 2012. These adjustments will impact both fire and police communications staff. Among the fire department’s changes are:
- Four senior alarm board operators will be demoted to the role of dispatcher.
- Two dispatchers will be reclassified as call takers.
- At least five call takers will be laid off.
Currently, each shift at the Englewood and Main operations has a dedicated senior alarm board operator. However, starting January 1st, one individual will be responsible for both areas, potentially increasing workload and reducing response efficiency.
According to the OEMC Facebook page, on Friday, December 16, 2011, pink slips and demotion notices were handed out to 911 operators. This move has raised concerns among staff and community leaders alike.
From CBS Chicago:
An OEMC supervisor, Shanita Carter, warned about the potential consequences of cutting back on 911 staffing. She expressed deep concern over the already understaffed and overworked call takers, many of whom are in high-crime areas where response times are already slow.
“This means the city of Chicago is in serious trouble because people won’t get the service they need,†she said. “In communities with higher crime rates, there's already a delay in service — and I live in one of them. This will only make it worse. They’re not just cutting call takers; they're also targeting supervisors. Supervisors play a crucial role in training, motivating, and supporting our call takers. They're overworked and burned out.â€
Carter emphasized that supervisors cannot be stretched any thinner than they already are.
Earlier this week, 28 aldermen signed a letter expressing concern over the city’s budget cuts, arguing that some reductions go too far. Cuts to the OEMC were a major point of contention, along with proposed layoffs in other city departments, including libraries and offices under Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The proposed changes have sparked widespread debate about the long-term impact on public safety and emergency response in Chicago.