Communications were snarled and police, fire and medical responders were overwhelmed by 911 calls, false reports and the number of victims during the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, according to a report released Monday by U.S. and local authorities. The report by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Clark County Fire Department and Las Vegas police provided an overview of first responders' actions on Oct. 1 and ways authorities can improve.
"It's almost impossible to jump hundreds of responders into an ongoing immediate event and have it go smoothly, communications wise," Fire Chief Greg Cassell said in an interview with The Associated Press. Among more than 1,500 calls that police and fire dispatchers answered within the first two hours of the shooting were 16 false calls.