April 11, 2023 3:00 a.m.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management recognizes April 9th through 15th as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

An OEM release said the week is an annual event that honors the critical role emergency response coordination professionals play in keeping the nation’s communities safe and secure.

Oregon has 43 standalone 911 centers known as Public Safety Answering Points that serve as the first and single point of contact for people seeking immediate relief during an emergency. Nearly 800 dedicated professionals across the state answer at least 2 million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. These 911 professionals respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render-life-saving assistance in times of personal crises and community-wide disasters.

OEM State 911 Program Manager Frank Kucha said, “Oregon’s 911 telecommunicators are heroes devoted to public safety and helping others. They work long hours, remaining calm in all types of situations and quickly constructing plans of action based on limited information”. Kucha said, “These individuals are lifelines in an emergency, and this annual observance honors their skills, dedication and commitment to helping Oregonians”.

Oregon’s 911 program was established by the 1981 Oregon Legislature and is managed by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.