A week to honor public safety dispatch staffers

Nicola Tidey, Training Coordinator
Published: April 2, 2008

For the past several years, public safety agencies nationwide have recognized the pivotal role played by telecommunicators, dispatchers, communication operators and radio control personnel.

Each year, the second week of April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators.
This year, April 13-19 has been designated National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

Designating a specific week to honor public safety telecommunicators was first conceived of in 1981 by a member of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International's Northern California Chapter.

APCO International introduced the week to Congress in October 1991. According to congressional procedure, it was introduced twice more -in 1993 and 1994 - before becoming permanent without the need for yearly introduction.

The Culpeper County Public Safety Communication Center will be honoring its public safety telecommunicators with activities and gifts throughout the week as tokens of our heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding work and dedication they show day to day.

Last year, our communications staff handled 22,689 911 calls and an additional 156,294 administrative calls.

Public safety dispatchers are the "first" first responders who provide a critical service to the community and all Culpeper County police, sheriff's, fire and rescue personnel.

The term "911" is often associated with rapid emergency response, and many people don't stop to think about these seemingly nameless, faceless heroes until they experience actual emergencies themselves.

For more information, call 727-7900.