>>
>> WELCOME TO THE REVEAL. WE ARE DEDICATED TO LIFE-
CHANGING INVESTIGATION.>> WHEN
SOMEONE INSIDE THE AIRPORT
CALLED 911 FOR HELP THE CITY'S
FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE.
OUR INVESTIGATION REVEALS
RESPONSE TIME TO THE BUSIEST
AIRPORT OFTEN DOES NOT MEET THE
GOAL.
GOAL.
GOAL. >>
GOAL. >> AND AIRPORT 911.
>> Reporter: A CAROL -- CALL
FOR HELP INSIDE THE AIRPORT.
>> SHE IS LAYING RIGHT IN YOUR.
>> WE NEED AN AMBULANCE ON THE
A CONCOURSE IN THE AIRPORT.
>> YOU COULD SEE PAIN AND
ANGUISH INTERFACE.>> FELLOW
EMPLOYEES AND PASSENGERS
STARTED CPR AND WAITED FOR 1st
RESPONDERS TO ARRIVE.
>> THEY SHOULD BE THERE.
THEY WERE NOT THERE.
PASSENGERS GREW ANXIOUS AS THE
AIRPORT EMPLOYEE SUFFERS A
MASSIVE HEART ATTACK IN FRONT
OF HER.
OF HER.
OF HER. >> PEOPLE WERE FRUSTRATED.
>> DOES
>> DOES
>> DOES >> Reporter: THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT ARRIVES.
DEPARTMENT ARRIVES. MITCHELL WAS SO UPSET SHE SEND
THIS TO WEEK TWO THE MAYOR
WRITING IT SHOULD NOT TAKE
PARAMEDICS 17 MINUTES TO SHOW UP
. MAYOR BOTTOMS SAYS WAIT TIME
DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN AS
LONG AS IT SEEMED.
HERE ARE THE DISPATCH RECORDS.
IT TURNS OUT MITCHELL'S
CONCERNS WERE VALID.
RECORDS SHOW IT TOOK MORE THAN
13 MINUTES FOR THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT TO ARRIVE.
IN ADDITIONAL -- AND ADDITIONAL
THREE MINUTES FOR STRETCHER TO
TRANSPORT AN EMPLOYEE.
DON'T GET SICK AT THE AIRPORT.
HE TOLD ME WE ARE SHORT STAFFED.
THIS IS CONCOURSE SAY, WE DID
NOT COME UNTIL WE REALIZED CPR
WAS IN PROGRESS.
>> WHICH IS -- WE FACE
CHALLENGES.
CHALLENGES. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE HEAD
OF FIRE OPERATIONS AT THE
AIRPORT.
AIRPORT.
AIRPORT. IS THAT AN ACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF
TIME?
TIME?
TIME? >>
TIME? >> IN A PERFECT WORLD I WOULD
SAY NO.
SAY NO.
SAY NO. >> Reporter: THE SAME DAY THE
AIRPORT EMPLOYEE CALLED. LISTEN
TO THIS CALL.
IT WAS ON THE SAME DAY.>> THEY
ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE NORTH
TOWER.
TOWER.
TOWER. I
TOWER. I TOLD THEM THE NORTH TERMINAL.
HOLD ON.
HOLD ON.
HOLD ON. >> THE CALLER CANCELED THE
EMERGENCY SHORTLY AFTER
FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED BUT IT
TOOK THEM NINE MINUTES TO
RESPOND.
RESPOND.
RESPOND. >> ALL RIGHT.
I TOLD THEM NO TRANSPORT.
>> THEY CALLED AND I WENT --
THEY WENT IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION.
DIRECTION. >> WHAT I HEARD IT IS SOMETHING
THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED
INTO.
INTO.
INTO. >>
INTO. >> THE GOAL IS TO RESPOND TO
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES IN UNDER
EIGHT MINUTES 90% OF THE TIME.
IT HAS NEVER REACHED ABOVE THE
58% OVER THE PAST 2.5 YEARS.
>> IN 26 RESPONSE TIMES WERE
SUCH A CONCERN TO ONE SECURITY
OFFICER THAT HE SENT AN EMAIL
TO AN AIRPORT MANAGER.
HE SAID RESPONSE TIMES NEED TO
BE QUICKER. THERE MAY BE
SERIOUS FAILURES.
SERIOUS FAILURES. THE AIRPORT NEVER RESPONDED.
>> THIS IS THE BUSIEST AIRPORT
IN THE WORLD.
TELL ME WHY PASSENGERS SHOULD'S
FEEL SAFE -- SHOULD FEEL SAFE?
>> LOOK AT OUR PERFORMANCE IN
TERMS OF SAVING LIVES.
HOW HER OVERALL PERFORMANCE IS
WHAT SHOULD TRULY PAINT THE
PICTURE OF WHAT ATLANTA FIRE
AND RESCUE AT HARTSFIELD
JACKSON IS ABOUT.
>> SURVIVABILITY RATES IS WHAT
REALLY MATTERS SAY -- THEY SAY
THE DEPARTMENTS RATE IS BETTER
THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
THEY ALSO UNCOVERED THAT THERE
IS SEVERE STAFFING SHORTAGES AT
THE AIRPORT.
THE AIRPORT. DEPARTMENT POLICY MANDATES 51
FIREFIGHTERS ON DD EVERY DAY.
ACCORDING TO CITY RECORDS,
THERE ARE HALF AS MANY FIRST
RESPONDERS AS THEY NEED.
>> IS THAT IMPACTING
EVERYTHING?
EVERYTHING? >> SAFETY AND HOW OUR UNITS
RESPOND?
RESPOND?
RESPOND? >> ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE A
DESIGNATED NUMBER OF MEMBERS
REQUIRED TO BE ON DUTY.
WE ACCOMPLISH THAT BY HIRING
MEMBERS FOR OVERTIME.
>> DESPITE THE TIME IT TOOK TO
READ TURN, SHE SURVIVED.
>> THAT YOUNG LADY MADE IT HOME
TO HER FAMILY TO BE WITH HER
FAMILY ANOTHER DAY.
>> IT WAS TRAUMATIZING.
>> THE EMPLOYEE ONLY SURVIVED
BECAUSE PASSENGERS RESPONDED
QUICKLY, NOT THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. >> THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN AN
AIRPORT.
AIRPORT.
AIRPORT. NOT IN ATLANTA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS NOT
HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE.>> THAT
IS A STUNNING ENDING.
HOW DOES THIS AIRPORT COMPARED
TO OTHERS?
TO OTHERS? >> LAX AND LOS ANGELES RESPOND
IN ABOUT 7.5 MINUTES.
YOU KNOW HAIR, ACCORDING TO
RECORDS, IT RESPONDS UNDER NINE
MINUTES 93% OF THE TIME.
ATLANTA IS SLOWER WITH ABOUT
68%.
68%.