Telecommmunicators, better known as 911 dispatchers, have the unseen voices that everyone wants to hear in times of emergencies.
April 9-15 has been designated as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Attala County dispatchers and co-coordinator Liz Peteet are cited for the jobs they perform around the clock.
“Until they are needed, many people do not understand or appreciate the importance of dispatchers,” Peteet said. “But when there is an emergency, whether it is a fire, illness or accident, the dispatchers are on the other end of the line waiting to help,” Peteet added.
Seven full time and one part time make up the staff of dispatchers who handle calls from facilites located in the Kosciusko Police Department.
The voice that answers a 911 call is the opposite of the person making the call. The dispatcher’s voice is calm, reassuring and thorough with their questions because they know that most times the person on the other end of the line is anxious and facing a dire situation.
Dispatchers are knowledgeable and highly trained. All are licensed and are recertified every three years. In addition they are required to take 16 hours of continuing education each year.
The dispatchers handle an average of 50-60 calls a day with only about 10 of them being real emergencies. “We get calls from kids playing with the phone and dials made accidentally,” Peteet said. She urged parents to warn children about dialing 911 as a prank.
Peteet said she has high praise for the dispatchers and for their devotion to the job. “They face many situations and must be prepared to ask the correct questions to make a quick assessment of the situation and the ask for the proper held,” Peteet said.
Shannon Mitchell, who has been a dispatcher for several years said he is happy with his choice of the job which he enjoys. “Most of the time it can be me getting anything from locating lost victims in the woods, administering life-saving procedures over the phone, helping to deliver babies, to gunshot victims. Saving lives is a part of my job,” Mitchell said.
Telecommunicators Week was created in 1981 to raise public awareness of the hard work and dedication of public safety telecommunicators. The emphasis affords the public an opportunity to express appreciation for the part they play in service to the community.
