Time is being spent this week to recognize the heroes behind all of the 911 and other resident calls at law enforcement agencies. 911 dispatchers are the first in a line of emergency personnel to talk to a person in distress about an issue whether it is medical related, an accident or another incident.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week runs until Sunday, April 19. Telecommunicators, or dispatchers, alert police, fire and EMS of calls for help. There are some medical instances where dispatchers can relay life-saving skills over the phone to help someone sustain life until emergency personnel can arrive at the scene.
Starke County personnel are being recognized for their efforts with special recognition events. Dispatchers in Starke County relay emergency information to four police departments, three ambulances, and seven fire departments. There are seven full-time dispatchers at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and two part-time dispatchers. One is in training this week.
There are 15 dispatchers at the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department with five of those being part-time staff members. Chief Dispatcher Steve Harvey said training is ongoing this week, but the dispatch center is decorated to recognize the efforts of the staff.
The Marshall County dispatchers will be recognized in two special events this week to honor the staff. Two county dispatchers, Greg Carroll and Jim Budd, are also firefighters. They know what to expect on both sides of a fire or medical call and what effort it takes on either side to carry out a call.
911 dispatchers receive multiple hours of training to handle all types of emergencies. Be sure to thank them for their service.
