“Shots fired! Shots fired!”
The patrol officer shrieked as he radioed in his location. Other officers acknowledged they were on the way.
It was 1979 and I was training a new dispatcher to take my place in the radio room so I could move on to a patrol officer position. The new guy sat frozen beside me, his face pale and stiff.
VERONA, Va. (WHSV) – April 13-19 marks National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which highlights the importance of 911 dispatchers for emergency situations.
A 911 call doesn’t go straight to a local fire or police agency. Rather, someone picks up the phone and asks some variation of “911, what’s your emergency?” The people who work in these call centers can have a variety of titles but are often referred to as “dispatchers.”
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — If you’re lucky enough to get a tour of Hall Ambulance’s new dispatch center in downtown Bakersfield, keep an eye on seven-year veteran dispatcher Julianne Solano.
Emergency calls that would likely raise the blood pressure and heart rate in the best of us show Solano speaking clearly, accurately, with care and empathy — and with no sign of even a tremor in her voice.
Every year, during the second week of April, we set aside time to honor the telecommunications personnel in the public safety community. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week celebrates and thanks those who dedicate their lives to serving the public with commitment, compassion, and professionalism. It is a time to recognize their hard work, sacrifices, and unwavering dedication.
WEST DEPTFORD— In an average year, over 240 million 911 calls are made in the United States, with emergency dispatchers being the first point of contact in any emergency situation. According to the NJ EMS Data Repository, New Jersey handles over 1.5 million incidents annually. For National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW), April 13-19, West Deptford Fire Department celebrates and honors the invaluable contribution made by telecommunication personnel to public safety.
The Lancaster Township Police Department would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated team at Lancaster County-Wide Communications for their unwavering support of our operations.
