Fulton Releases Tape of Botched 911 Call

By Odette Yousef

To listen to extended tape from the 911 call, click on the 'MP3' link above.

Atlanta, GA – NOTE: To listen to extended tape from the 911 call, click on the 'MP3' link above.

Fulton County today released tape of a 911 call from a Johns Creek woman who died over the weekend.

It took nearly an hour for an ambulance to arrive at 39-year-old Darlene Dukes's apartment, because the emergency call-taker at first dispatched an ambulance to the wrong address.

WABE's Odette Yousef reports.

Dukes's call was answered by the Fulton County operator around 1pm on Saturday she was having difficulty breathing:

Dukes: (unintelligible)
Fulton Operator: OK, what's the address?
Dukes: 602 (Wales) drive.
Fulton Operator: I need to know the address ma'am.
Dukes: It's 602 Wales Drive.
Fulton Operator: 602 Wells Drive?
Dukes: Yes.
Fulton Operator: Ok, hold on, ma'am.

Later in the call, the operator asks for the address again:

Fulton Operator: Just confirm to me that I have your address right 602 Wells Street, W-E-L-L-S Street, is that correct?
Dukes: Drive.
Fulton Operator: Drive?
Dukes: Yes.
Operator: OK, you said that was Wells Drive.

Still, the operator had Grady EMS send an ambulance to Wells Street in Southwest Atlanta. While the unit was en route, Grady dispatch realized there was a problem with the address, and called the operator back to verify:

Grady EMS: Well, we can't find it.
Fulton Operator: All she gave me was 602 Wells Drive.
Grady EMS: Well, there's no 602 Wells Drive

Ultimately, it was Grady EMS that found the correct apartment complex in John Creek, by Googling its name.

Fulton County officials have declined to release the operator's name at this time in a pre-recorded statement issued yesterday, the head of the county communications center called it an isolated incident.'

Alfred Rocky Moore has declined to respond directly to reporters' questions.

Odette Yousef, WABE News.