911 emergency: 2 call agents test positive for coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — Hotline 911 is in an emergency of its own, as two of its call agents are clearing the deck after contracting the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Emergency calls to the hotline will be temporarily rerouted to eight local call centers after all 911 telecommunicators were placed under home quarantine.

In a statement on Sunday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said all 80 emergency telecommunicators (ETCs), including 10 COVID-19 hotline agents assigned at 911, had been placed under mandatory quarantine while the 911 national call center was being disinfected and ventilated. Contact tracing is also being undertaken.

“All of our personnel have undergone PCR (polymerase chain reaction or swab) tests, are currently under home quarantine, and will return to work as soon as they test negative or have completed the 14-day quarantine,” Malaya said.

He said 911 could be in partial operations by Sept. 7 and fully operational by Sept. 16.

Malaya pointed out that 911 was supposed to have an additional 17 ETCs from the Bureau of Fire Protection this month but two of those who underwent training also tested positive for the virus, sending all of them into quarantine.

Emergency hotline 911 Executive Director Diosdado Valeroso said the two infected ETCs were recovering and were in isolation. “Our intention is to redeploy all our agents, together with the DOH (Department of Health) agents assigned to us, as soon as it is safe for our personnel,” he said.

Emergency hotline 911 is under the DILG and provides immediate response to people needing assistance on police matters, fire incidents, health issues, as well as in disaster search and rescue.

The DILG got its share of frustrated and angry 911 callers on social media who said the emergency service was not delivering help.

On Wednesday, canteen owner Cheena Reyes shared on Facebook her frustration over her experience in dialing 911, even after repeated attempts she failed to get help.

She then called the government’s 24-hour complaint hotline, 8888, only to be told to call 911 again.

After several attempts of calling 911 and other hotlines, the emergency hotline finally responded but she was told there were no ambulances available.

Reyes said she called the hotline after Ricardo Camral, a taxi driver and a regular customer, collapsed while dining inside the canteen. Left with no choice, Reyes said they brought Camral to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.Levi Miscala, a resident of Quezon City, said he called 911 on Thursday after a telecom lineman was electrocuted while fixing internet lines in their area.

“We called 911. Apparently, it was not working,” he said. He told the Inquirer he called the hotline 13 times.

“We called the local barangay rescue unit but they don’t know what to do. They lack the equipment to rescue him and suggested to wait for Meralco,” he said.