The National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is celebrated every second week of April each year. This day aims to honor all telecommunications staff whose work is involved in a public safety communication. This weeklong event gives recognition and expresses gratitude to all those people dedicated to saving the lives of the people.
About the National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
During the National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week, people conduct various activities that let them achieve the goals or objectives of this weeklong celebration. For one, people get trained on how to appropriately make emergency phone calls. People also shout out on social media how they are celebrating the event.
History
National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week was founded by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (Calif.) Sheriff’s Office in 1981. It was then quickly adopted in the states of Virginia and North Carolina. By the 1990s, the national association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) convinced Congress to pass a formal proclamation for this celebration.
In 1994, “National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week” was formally recognized and is celebrated each year during the second full week of April to coincide with the National 9-1-1 Education Month. This day is the time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public. It is a week that should be set aside so everyone can be made aware of their hard work and dedication.
Dates
The National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week is celebrated every second week of April each year. This means that the upcoming celebration of this event will be held from April 11 to April 17.
Why Celebrate
The following are the main reasons why you should participate in the celebration of the National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week:
To Understand the Job of Telecommunicators
Most of the time, people have no idea how hard the job of telecommunicators is. They actually carry a great responsibility because they are the first line of hope or defense for those people in need. They are the first ones to get in contact with people who are in danger. If you still haven’t fully realized that yet, then it is all the more reason for you to celebrate this week.
To Become Prepared for Emergency Situations
Also, a good reason to celebrate this event is that by doing so, you can get yourself familiarized with the mechanics of what you should do in case of an emergency. Knowing how to contact the National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week and what to say will perhaps even save your life or those of others.
Celebration Ideas and Activities
The following are the best things to do to make your celebration of the National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week as best as it can be:
Review the 911 Emergency Call Advice
A good way to spend your time for this day is to review the 911 emergency call advice as discussed below:
- 9-1-1 is for police, fire and medical emergencies only. Non-emergency calls should be directed to non-emergency phone numbers; EPPD: 832-4400 and EPFD: 212-5600.
- Details are critical. Stay on the line with the 9-1-1 operator and answer all the questions that they ask. Provide an accurate location, if you do not know the exact address, provide the call taker with all the details that you can. Look for landmarks, cross streets, signs, and buildings. First responders need an accurate location to respond as fast as possible.
- Try to stay calm and speak clearly.
- Don’t hang up when calling 9-1-1. If you called by mistake, let the operator know.
- DO NOT call 9-1-1 for jokes or prank calls.
Honor Public Safety Telecommunicators
Also, a good idea to celebrate this day is to honor public safety telecommunicators. Tell them how grateful you are for doing their job appropriately. You can also make this event as your opportunity to give a gift, present, or a letter of appreciation to a public safety telecommunicator that you know.
Celebrate on Social Media
You can also take your celebration of this day on social media. You can, for instance, use the hashtag #NationalPublicSafetyTelecommunicatorsWeek to let your friends and followers know that you are also participating in the celebration of this important week.
Quotes
- “Just because you don’t see my face, doesn’t mean I’m not saving your life. Behind every hero, there is a guardian looking out for them and I am the hero’s guardian. I am a 911 dispatcher.” –krankie
- “Dispatching – not everyone can do it and we like it that way.”
- “It’s all about finding the calm in the chaos.”
- “I know addresses I’ve never been to, people I’ve never seen, secrets no one can hear about, cars I’d never ride in, and I help those I will never meet. I’m a 911 dispatcher”. – Michelle Boehrs
- “The full area of ignorance is not mapped. We are at present only exploring the fringes.” – John Desmond Bernal
- “if you stop being scare, that’s when entropy sets in, and you may as well go home.”
- “You can’t spell hero without 911 dispatcher.”
- “I became a dispatcher to help people in the community. I like that at the end of my shift. I know I’ve helped someone with what could be the worst day of their life and all my officers went home safe.”