RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The issue of who should be handling the city of Richmond’s 911 calls is heating up. On Tuesday, March 25, the Richmond Department of Emergency Communications (DEC) and the Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) both presented data to city council members on why they should co ntrol calls during the Richmond City Council Public Safety Committee’s meeting. DEC said a strategic change was implemented in 2024 that strengthened the average call processing time to 60 seconds. According to the department, a recommendation from a third-party consultant, with a goal of improving customer service and public safety, prompted the change. Before that, DEC transferred 911 calls to RAA.   DEC Director Stephen Willoughby argued taking 911 calls is an antiquated way of doing business for first responders.  “An argument can be made that certified EMT and paramedics perhaps better serve the city by being assigned to ambulances and responding to 911 calls,” said Willoughby. On the flipside, RAA argued that how well you process the type of care needed for an emergency is more important than the speed. CEO Chip Decker presented his own data stating their eight consecutive years of accredited status gives them more than enough to assess what type of emergency and care a resident needs. “If a doctor's office says that the patient is having a STEMI and needs transport to the hospital, and If you don't understand what a STEMI is, it's kind of a medical term. What I know it to be is a time-sensitive heart attack,” Decker explained. City council members expressed their own concerns over 911 calls not being answered by dec or being incorrectly categorized and increased efficiency and better service for residents is the goal.  “We need to be, as a city, okay with taking this criticism and kind of putting this stuff aside, because we're all just trying to serve the people of Richmond,” said 4th District City Council member Sarah Abubaker. Ultimately, city council members said data from both groups wasn't exactly comparable and asked them to return with numbers that can be properly evaluated.  That will happen at the next public safety committee meeting on Tuesday, April 22. ...read more read less