SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 News) – According to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the state had 630 emergency dispatchers in 2016. By 2026, that number is projected to grow to 770, which is an increase of 22.2%. The second week in April is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, a time when we recognize Utah’s 911 dispatchers, who are the first to pick up the call for someone in need…
Working 12-hour shifts, communication specialists see a variety of calls, Public Safety Support Supervisor Liz Okerson said.
A little ding on the operator’s screen denoted with red, yellow and green lights alerts the 9-1-1 operator of an incoming call. Not knowing what might be on the receiving line of that phone call is what keeps communication specialists at the City of Dickinson Public Safety Center mindful and always at the edge of their seats.
Working 12-hour shifts, communication specialists see a variety of calls, Public Safety Support Supervisor Liz Okerson said.
During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) recognizes those who save lives in times of crisis and raises awareness of the hard work and dedication of public safety telecommunicators.
The Roswell (GA) 911 Emergency Communications Center became a member of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) Missing Kids Readiness Program (MKRP) in 2017. The communications officers train several times a year on missing, endangered, and exploited children…
Fisher says staying calm during calls can be extremely tough and there are many situations that pull on the heartstrings.
“Knowing that us being calm means getting the best help we can get them in the most efficient time possible, is something we’ve been trained to do and continually train to do so we keep up our skills,” Fisher explained.
Fisher was born and raised in Medicine Hat, and she is happy to support the community in a positive way. They are the first stop of communication during emergencies…
While dispatchers like those with the Washington County Communications Center prepare for various 911 calls, one 20-year veteran of the profession says there’s always one situation she finds most challenging despite her training.
This is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, celebrating the men and women who are the “first” first responder on the scene in an emergency. Shelley Reed-Wulf says being a dispatcher is very rewarding knowing she’s helped a person in a life-threatening emergency or put their mind at ease during a difficult situation…
