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A performance audit of the Houston Emergency Center has found a fragmented system, staffing shortages and low employee morale. The city controller finds it surprising how effectively the center runs despite the problems.
The performance review, conducted through the city controllers office, found the Houston Emergency Center has a 99.8 percent reliability rating. Still, the report contianed 55 recommendations that Controller Annise Parker says would save $6.8 million. Parker says it’s up to HEC’s management and Houston City Council to make changes. Parker says the operational problems are a serious concern.
The report identified staffing shortages. Officials say the center is short 58 people from a desired staffing level of 175.
Parker says a major concern is fragmentation, there are four lines of authority within the HEC center, employees for HEC, police, fire and the 911 system all have their own work rules and systems.
Houston Mayor’s office spokesman Patrick Trahan says a unified structure can’t happen overnight because of the different cultures involved.
Houston Police Department Assistant Chief David Cutler says the first year of HEC focused on technical problems and now it’s time to deal with perosnnel issues. Cutler says many of the problems in the audit were already identified.