Plans for Ohio Civilians to Staff 911 Center Under Fire
May 19--Columbus plans to consolidate its police and fire 911 call centers and replace uniformed dispatchers with civilians, a move that drew a threat of a political "bloodbath" from the firefighters' union president.
Mayor Michael B. Coleman mandated that the city's Department of Public Safety make the changes by 2015, saying he wants to streamline communication services, better protect the public and save money.
A combined call center would handle about 700,000 emergency calls a year...
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![People attend to a victim who was hit by a car during the Hikers Parade at the Trail Days festival in Damascus, Va.,]](http://r3.cygnuspub.com/files/cygnus/image/FHC/2013/MAY/75x75/8aa4c690c7194010320f6a7067005e6a.jpg_10945373.jpg)
