The City of St. Louis recently reported that wait times for emergency calls have significantly improved since this summer. Although about a third of local dispatcher positions remain open and emergency call wait times continue to be longer than the national standard, the city has filled most of their vacancies for 911 dispatchers by increasing staff’s pay.

The national standard for emergency calls is for dispatchers to pick up within 10 seconds of the first ring. In July 2023, only 56% of calls to St. Louis emergency services met that standard, with callers waiting 40 to 50 seconds to speak to a dispatcher.

Slow 911 response times have attracted public outcry in St. Louis in recent years. This summer, a woman was trapped in her car under a fallen tree and eventually died while passersby tried to get help from emergency services.

Insufficient staff is one reason for long wait times. In February 2023, there were more than 50 open positions at the city’s 911 dispatch center. After raising dispatcher pay, the city has filled more than 30 of those roles.

Now that the city has increased staff, 80% of 911 calls are answered within the first 10 seconds.

The city is still working to meet the national standard for 911 response times.

Almost 20 dispatcher positions are still open, and some current staff are planning to retire, which will create some new vacancies. Public Safety Director Charles Coyle told aldermen that the department will need at least until March 2024 to get back to full capacity.