DIGHTON — Chief Christopher Maguy would like to recognize the town’s public safety dispatchers during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
During the week of April 12-18, public safety agencies take time to reflect on the critical role telecommunications professionals play in supporting the work of first responders. This week honors the thousands of men and women across the country who respond to emergency calls, dispatch first responders and equipment and render life-saving assistance to residents.
The Dighton Public Safety communications center consists of four full-time dispatchers and four part-time dispatchers who are specially trained to handle thousands of calls for service every year. While their work is done outside of the view of the public, they are an essential resource for first responders and the public alike and serve as the first point of contact for members of the public seeking help in an emergency.
“Our dispatchers are crucial to every emergency we respond to by collecting critical information to help our firefighters and paramedics understand what they’ll find when they arrive,” Chief Maguy said. “This is especially important in the wake of COVID-19 when dispatchers are asking health-related questions to allow our personnel to prepare with the proper protective equipment, when needed.”
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, dispatchers are on the front lines with first responders ensuring that they have all the information needed to safely respond to calls for service. While the average number of calls per week have remained about the same, the nature of calls has changed as well as the interaction that is required.
About APCO International
APCO International is the world’s oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals and supports the largest U.S. membership base of any public safety association, and it sponsors National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week each year.
It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole – by providing complete expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and outreach.
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