On Monday, officials from Wichita and Sedgwick County are set to receive a report from a consulting firm regarding the emergency response to a tragic fire that occurred in 2023 at an apartment complex in east Wichita.
Jensen Hughes, a renowned firm, has been conducting an audit of the 911 and fire response to a devastating blaze that occurred on October 13th, 2023, at the Brookhollow Apartments near Central and Rock Road.
Tragically, the fire claimed the life of 22-year-old Paoly Bedeski, who had desperately called 911 to report her entrapment in her upper-level apartment. However, attorneys representing the Bedeski family claim that the distress call never reached the fire rescue teams.
In contrast, Sedgwick County emergency communications officials later clarified that the information provided by Paoly was incomprehensible over the phone.
In 2023, Wichita and Sedgwick County collaborated to commission an independent analysis of the response. Jensen Hughes, a reputable firm, was selected to conduct a comprehensive review of the Wichita Police Department. Their evaluation resulted in several recommendations for enhancing operational efficiency.
Wichita Vice Mayor Maggie Ballard announced that the Sedgwick County Commission will be convening a special meeting on Monday at 9 a.m., followed by a meeting of the Wichita City Council at noon. Ballard assured that the report will be released to the public as soon as it is received. However, she mentioned that the city has not yet received the report and is unable to provide any comments on its findings at this moment.
