April 13-19 is National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week. It’s dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators.
Recognized on the second full week of April every year, this is when we celebrate the accomplishments of our 911 dispatchers. All police, fire and EMS dispatchers are honoured this week for the great work they do. Dispatchers work different shifts to cover every hour on the clock and send officers home safely. They are truly the first responders on the scene.
Calming the caller, sending responding units, and gathering critical information during an emergency are just a few of the things done by telecommunicators to assist their colleages in managing emergency situations.
The week was originally conceived by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (Calif.) Sheriff's Office in 1981 and was observed only at that agency for three years. Since then it has expanded and is now acknowledged across North America.
The MGEU salutes the members of the EMS Component that represent us in this important field.