Wichita City Council members and Sedgwick County Commissioners held a combined meeting Wednesday to hear an update on the recommendations from a study on fire and emergency response in the aftermath of a fatal 2023 fire.
The Chicago-based firm of Jensen Hughes looked at the response to an October 13th, 2023 fire at the Brookhollow Apartments near Central and Rock Road. The fire resulted in the death of 22-year-old Paoly Bedeski, who had called 911 to say she was trapped in her apartment. Concerns were raised over the information provided by dispatchers to crews at the scene and a delay in getting a second alarm turned in.
The study had 40 recommendations for Sedgwick County Emergency Communications, Sedgwick County EMS, the Wichita Fire Department and the Wichita Police Department. During Wednesday’s meeting, Assistant County Manager Rusty Leeds and Wichita City Manager Robert Layton said that 8 recommendations were implemented with 3 in progress for 911 and EMS. There were 23 recommendations implemented for the Wichita Fire Department with 5 in progress, and the Wichita Police Department has 2 recommendations that are in progress. There were also 22 other considerations that are being implemented for the four agencies and the public safety system in general.
Leeds said enhanced training programs have been developed to expand the technical expertise of dispatchers and call-takers at 911, an employee development team has been expanded to look at training needs, and all fire dispatchers have undergone retraining to get a clearer understanding of operational expectations and policies. He said starting in February, an EMS ambulance and a Sedgwick County district fire chief will be dispatched to apartment and high-rise fire calls county-wide.
Layton said an officer development program has been created in the Wichita Fire Department to strengthen leadership and prepare future leaders, there will be monthly mandated training, a Mayday training exercise has been developed, and the Fire Department and Sedgwick County Emergency Communications have started in-person meetings at the supervisor level to open lines of communication and have a clearer understanding of roles and responsibilities.
Other steps include bi-monthly meetings of a Wichita-Sedgwick County Emergency Communications Advisory Board to keep track of progress in putting the Jensen-Hughes recommendations into place. County Commission Chairman Ryan Baty said he wants to have elected officials present at the meetings, and he suggested a quarterly task force to meet during the next year to focus on the recommendations. Leeds said full implementation will take 12 to 15 months and it will be a process that will likely have budget items for elected officials to consider.
