Probe of New Orleans Response to Fire that Killed Three Children Underway
Although the mother who called 9-1-1 told dispatchers that her children's father had threatened to burn down the house, the New Orleans fire department was not dispatched for several minutes.
Also, there were no police officers available to respond after the frantic call, WWLT reported.
Typically, a domestic violence code 2 incident would get an immediate response with the officer using lights and siren. But no one answered up, authorities admitted Thursday.
“Policy is not to send fire just because someone says someone is going to set a fire. If we sent fire units to every time somebody said there’s going to be a fire, at that point, you’re rolling fire units, Code 2, endangering citizens, etc… etc…” said Karl Fasold, the chief of the Orleans Parish Communications District.
Eight minutes after midnight, dispatchers got the first call about the fire. He said that a dispatch an incident was sent to the fire department within two minutes and the first firefighters arrived less than five minutes later, at 12:14.Police arrived on the scene about 12:20, about 25 minutes after the initial call. Firefighters had already rescued the children and were performing CPR.
He said he doesn't believe the 9-1-1 center dropped the ball.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said that an investigation into the response time will be undertaken by the Public Integrity Bureau.
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