Monticello, NY – April 8-14 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, celebrating and recognizing the outstanding job done by 911 dispatchers and emergency communications staff.
“Sullivan County is extremely fortunate to have a very professional and dedicated team of emergency services dispatchers who handle stressful situations each day and are asked to make split-second accurate decisions to send help to our citizens and protect the first responders in the field,” said District 5 Legislator Terri Ward, chair of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee.
“Our dispatchers are the true ‘first’ first responders, in that they are the first contact a caller in distress has with emergency services,” noted 911 Coordinator Alex Rau. “Our 911 dispatchers can provide lifesaving instructions over the phone until help arrives – such as bleeding control, childbirth, CPR, medication administration and much more.”
“They are the calming voice that will stay with the caller until help arrives,” added Public Safety Commissioner Rick Sauer. “They do this dozens of times each day, hundreds of times each month, often leaving their families in harm’s way during floods, storms & blizzards to carry out their mission.”
“Sullivan County salutes and thanks our emergency services dispatchers not just in our 911 Center but across the County and New York State,” said County Manager Josh Potosek. “They contribute immeasurably to our quality of life, our feelings of safety and security, by bringing aid to us when it’s needed most – no matter what.”
For more on National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, visit www.npstw.org.
