April 17, 2024 3:30 a.m.
This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
A release from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management said the annual event honors the essential 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 telecommunicators across the state answer at least 2 million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services
ODEM State 911 Program Manager Frank Kuchta 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”. Kuchta said, “These individuals are lifelines in an emergency and this annual observance honors their skills, dedication and commitment to helping Oregonians”.
The release said many 911 professionals are certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers and receive training on how to process requests for medical assistance and how to dispatch medical providers. All 911 professionals work behind the scenes to help people during emergencies ranging from mental health crises, car accidents, missing person reports, burglaries, and domestic violence disturbances.
The work of public safety telecommunicators directly supports the operations of federal, state and local government agencies, including emergency management, highway safety, and search and rescue. Oregon’s 911 program was established by the 1981 Oregon Legislature and is managed by ODEM.
Public Safety Telecommunicators Week continues through this Saturday.
Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin and Lieutenant Brad O’Dell talked about the work of these professionals on the Morning Conversation Wednesday on News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN. That interview is a KQEN Podcast at www.541radio.com