City of Wichita, Sedgwick Co. release independent audit of response to deadly Wichita apartment fire

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - An independent review of a Wichita apartment fire that killed 22-year-old Paoly Bedeski in October 2023 found that no agency’s failure could be solely attributed to Bedeski’s death.

Independent firm Jensen Hughes found an unorganized rescue effort involving a number of systemic shortcomings in the response to the deadly fire. Three residents of the complex were hospitalized.

“Had these significant shortcomings not occurred,” the report read, “it would have provided Ms. Bedeski with a better chance of early rescue and subsequent increased potential for survival, provided she was still alive.”

As crews battled the flames, a stairwell inside the building at Brookhollow Apartments collapsed as firefighters searched for people inside. Four firefighters were caught in the collapse, issuing a “mayday” call.

In December 2023, the union representing Wichita firefighters is backing claims that Bedeski likely would be alive if not for 911 dispatch mistakes. Sedgwick County’s emergency communications director and county commissioners defended county dispatch while acknowledging a need for improvements.

Jensen Hughes found that the 911 dispatcher could not understand Bedeski when she said her apartment unit number. However, the dispatcher did not use instant recall feature to replay the audio, which could have allowed the dispatcher to better understand her and relay that information to the Wichita Fire Department. The report also noted an unusual setup that dispatchers wear two headsets: one for call-taking and another for radio traffic.

“One of the model changes that we’re making at 911is to bring in more call takers so we can separate call-taking and dispatching,” said Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty. “In early 2023, we only had nine call takers. We have hired over 30 call takers now.”

The report also found that the Wichita Fire Department had an adequate number of firefighters at the scene to conduct operations of a garden-style apartment before the second alarm was dispatched.

Jensen Hughes said the fire department’s decision associated with the initial fire attack, an uncoordinated search and rescue effort, ineffective command and control and the partial collapse of the stairway delayed search efforts.

“We have a leadership vacuum,” said Wichita firefighters union (IAFF Local 135) President Ted Bush. “We have a vacuum and when you have a vacuum, firefighters will take it into their own hands to do it themselves. It has to get done. The fire has to go out.”

Bedeski was last known to be alive just before she stopped speaking on the 911 call, which happened before the fire department was dispatched. Her call disconnected before WFD arrived on the scene.

It was Bedeski’s 911 call that initiated the dispatch of firefighters to the Brookhollow Apartment building.

The report listed circumstances beyond any agency’s control that contributed to the fire having a deadly outcome, including wind conditions that morning, combustible elements of the apartment building and previous evidence of residents inappropriately discarding smoking materials on and around the building’s exit stairway.

Jensen Hughes suggested Sedgwick County Communications, the Wichita Fire Department, the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County EMS work more closely together to improve on fire incident response.

Sedgwick County released a statement in response to the report, accepting it from “the qualified and credible consultant, Jensen Hughes.

Sedgwick County’s full statement:

“Sedgwick County is pleased to collaborate with the City of Wichita to receive an objective, unbiased analysis of the Brookhollow Apartment incident that took place in October 2023 from the qualified and credible consultant, Jensen Hughes. The unexpected loss of life deserved a thorough, objective and complete investigation. The family of Paoly Bedeski, Brookhollow residents, community and public safety agency employees deserved an unbiased understanding of what occurred. Same as the public, Sedgwick County Leadership just received and heard this report for the first time from Jensen Hughes this morning and needs time to review, reflect and deliberate toward next steps.”

Bush pushed for this review last year. He said it’s time to sit down and dig into the report.

“When something as tragic as this happens, we have to do something. We do,” he said.

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In response to the report, Bedeski’s family also issued a lengthy statement in part, calling out a “key oversight” that had the call been correctly dispatched, their “beloved daughter” would still be alive. Full statement below:

Today, our hearts shatter from an unbearable loss that demands a call to action. Our beloved daughter Paoly was not just taken from us by a fire, but by a catastrophic system failure that could—and should—have been prevented.

“The Jensen Hughes independent investigation exposed a cascade of errors and systemic failures that cost Paoly her life. When every second counted, multiple agencies failed her. The 911 dispatcher failed to relay Paoly’s location to firefighters, neglected to use basic tools that could have pinpointed her apartment, and crucially failed to utilize a replay feature to hear Paoly as she informed the dispatcher of her location.

The Jensen Hughes report misses a key oversight: the 911 dispatcher’s mistake in categorizing Paoly’s call. By classifying the call as a “routine structural fire,” the system never initiated the larger response that automatically comes with reports of a trapped person. Correctly labeling the call would have triggered an immediate escalation, including more firefighters, two ambulances, and a paramedic supervisor. Crews on the ground would be alert to a trapped individual inside of a burning building. This enhanced response would have given emergency crews the essential information and resources needed for a successful rescue.

Paoly was trapped inside her apartment on the third floor of a burning building. As precious seconds ticked by, firefighters inexplicably focused their search and rescue efforts on buildings other than the one engulfed in flames where Paoly was trapped.

We are not seeking sympathy. We are demanding ability and change without delay. The Sedgwick County Commissioners and City of Wichita will soon vote on a potential settlement and make decisions on whether to act on recommended changes highlighted by the investigation. This is about ensuring no other family experiences the heart-wrenching pain of losing a child due to preventable mistakes.

We urge our community to take action:

the Sedgwick County Commission and the City of Wichita. Demand a thorough review of the Jensen Hughes report’s recommendations and ask that the commissioners and public leaders take immediate action. Insist on meaningful reforms in emergency dispatch and fire rescue protocols. No other family should have to endure the pain we feel every day after losing Paoly. These systemic failures are known and can be fixed if the county and city decide to take this situation seriously and take action.

Paoly was more than a victim. She was a vibrant young woman with a future stolen by institutional negligence. Though she can no longer speak, we will be her voice. We cannot bring Paoly back, but we can shape her legacy into meaningful reforms that mirror her warmth and care for others.

Our daughter Paoly’s life matters. Her memory demands justice.”

Adding to Bush’s input, Wichita Firefighters - IAFF Local 135 also released a full statement:

“AFF135 appreciates all the time and work that was put into this report. We are still going through the full document & will provide a fuller response in a few days.

We applaud the SG Co Emergency Communications for the improvements they suggested in response to this investigation and hope they continue on this current path. We are concerned that years of documented failures with Emergency Communications were never even mentioned or addressed within this report. This failure concerning the Brookhallow fire is absolutely not a singular incident, but the incident that resulted in the most tragic outcome.

As to the findings regarding the Wichita Fire Department, we agree with the representatives from Jensen Hughes that Wichita Firefighters are some of the “most healthiest, aggressive and committed” they have ever seen, from firefighters they’ve interviewed across the world. They also reported cultural issues in the Wichita Fire Department that show an organization that has had to learn to “adapt and overcome in everything they do.” This is due to a glaring lack of leadership from the current Fire Chief.

Since July of 2022, we’ve spoken publicly about the LEVRUM STAFFING, STATION and DEPLOYMENT ANALYSIS Report that has still not been shared with the public or our elected officials. The same threads of that report can be found in Jensen’s findings. Those threads also run through the findings of the ethics decision last week, showing Chief Tammy Snow had no issue implicating Mayor Lily Wu in her dishonesty while communicating with IAFF135 leadership, who then communicates with Wichita’s firefighters. This kind of leadership is troubling and each report our City invests in identifies this same struggle and a common denominator.

We will continue to advocate for the leadership and cultural changes that must happen to right this ship. We again encourage City Council to ask for and engage with the full 2022 LEVRUM (STAFFING, STATION, AND DEPLOYMENT ANALYSIS 2022) and Jensen Reports. The tone and recommendations of the Jensen Report do not match the presentation given today. Therefore, it’s crucial they ask for and engage with both full reports and consider the recommendations made then and those being made now.

It’s never easy, as elected officials, to be tasked with such an ability effort but time is running short. We must implement ACTUAL CHANGES for the people of Wichita and for the health and safety of our incredible firefighters - that will continue to go above and beyond to answer their calls for help.

In this, we could use your help. Let your elected officials know this matters to you.”

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