LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A recent investigation by Reveal, a program from the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, found that Louisville's 911 dispatch center is failing to meet national response time standards, placing the city among nearly two dozen major U.S. cities with inadequate call-answering speeds.

According to the National Emergency Number Association, at least 90% of 911 calls should be answered within 15 seconds. In Louisville, dispatchers answered only 86% of calls within that timeframe in 2024 and 2025, falling short of the benchmark despite processing more than 600,000 calls annually in each year.

Jody Meiman, executive director of Louisville Metro Emergency Services, acknowledged the issue in a statement, noting that various factors impact annual averages, including major incidents, severe weather, and simultaneous cell phone calls about the same event. He emphasized that MetroSafe has met the 90% benchmark every month this year, as NENA standards require performance to be measured monthly rather than annually.

Meiman said the agency is taking steps to improve performance, including strengthening staffing, improving technology, and streamlining call-processing procedures.

A key underlying issue nationwide is understaffing, with the investigation finding that up to 85% of dispatch centers across the country lack adequate personnel. The toll on 911 workers is significant, with long hours and intensely traumatic work amid relentless call volumes.

The problem is less acute in Lexington, where nearly 98% of 911 calls are answered within 10 seconds, well above the national standard. Lexington received approximately 200,000 calls in 2025, substantially fewer than Louisville's volume.

The investigation began when Byard Duncan, a Reveal reporter, was placed on hold while calling 911 to report a brush fire near his home in Oakland, California. His reporting underscored that during emergencies, seconds matter significantly.