Personnel File Shows 911 Operator Slept On Job

Courtesy Cbs46.com

POSTED: 6:19 am EDT August 13, 2008
UPDATED: 8:23 am EDT August 13, 2008

ATLANTA -- A CBS 46 News review of the personnel file of 911 operator Gina Conteh's file found that she was on the verge of being fired before she made a mistake that led to a woman's death.

Last week, Conteh misheard the name of the street given by Darlene Dukes, who called 911 after experiencing some breathing problems. Conteh sent paramedics to the wrong address. Crews did not get to Dukes' apartment in Johns Creek until an hour had passed. CBS 46 learned Tuesday that this incident was not the first time Conteh had been disciplined for delays in dispacthing an ambulance.

A letter from her former boss, Rocky Moore, showed plans to fire Conteh in 2004, but she was only suspended for five days after being cited multiple times for falling asleep on the job, failing to respond to units and having an unsatisfactory work quality.

On one call, the file revealed, Conteh's response led to a 22-minute delay in response.
As recently as April, Conteh was cited for displaying "major difficulties navigating through the system."

And in 2003, Contech was written up for being "habitually in violation of county and departmental policies". The letter went on to say that Conteh "requires frequent supervision to perform routine tasks."

Perhaps the most startling allegations found by the CBS 46 review was the numerous times Conteh fell asleep on the job. In one incident, the file indicated, Conteh hurt herself when she fell from the chair after falling asleep. The records indicated other employees fell asleep as well.
The documents also show cases where Conteh failed to respond to multiple requests for an ambulance, failed to dispatch the closest unit, and failed to be attentive to details.

Records showed that on one date, Conteh was cited for failing to failing to properly respond six times in one night. According to the file, on that date, Conteh gave the wrong address twice, and for responding as if she was awakened from her sleep on two occasions.