On Monday morning, the city government officially handed primary responsibility for medical 911 calls back to the Richmond Ambulance Authority.

The transfer ended a two-year stretch when the city’s own emergency communications department was taking the initial calls, then relaying information to the RAA so emergency responders could be dispatched. Before 2024, RAA handled the calls, which makes this week’s switch a return to the prior system.

As of 9 a.m. Monday, medical 911 calls will now immediately be transferred to the external authority, according to a city news release. That means callers will interact more directly with the entity sending the ambulance.

The Council voted for the change on June 8 after members agreed with concerns RAA had raised about response accuracy slipping due to the authority’s limited role in handling 911 calls. The Council’s ordinance gave the city 30 days to make the switch, but there was some friction over when and how responsibility over medical calls would be handed back to RAA.

Mayor Danny Avula’s administration initially suggested there could be more bureaucratic and legal hurdles to clear before the Council’s wishes could be enacted. After further discussion, the Avula administration later said the change would occur on July 27.

At several points in the process, officials raised concerns that a rushed process could cause problems with a life-or-death service.

However, Monday’s news release suggested things were going as planned. Richmonders can continue calling 911 for emergencies, and if they need medical assistance they’ll be transferred to the RAA. If a caller needs a police or fire response in addition to medical help, the fire or police dispatch will come first, then the caller will be connected to the RAA.

“We understand that any change to the 911 process may raise questions, which is why preparation has been such a critical part of this transition,” said Stephen Willoughby, Director of the city’s Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response. “Our priority throughout this transition has been making sure residents experience a smooth, uninterrupted path to the help they need.” 

In the city-issued release, ambulance authority CEO Chip Decker also expressed confidence in the preparation.

“Our agency is fully prepared to resume processing emergency medical calls, and we look forward to continuing to work together to provide the best service possible to the community,” Decker said.

Contact Reporter Graham Moomaw at gmoomaw@richmonder.org