Capital Region Honors National Public Safety Telecommunication Week

CAPITAL REGION, Pa— In an average year, over 240 million 911 calls are made in the United States, with emergency dispatchers being the first point of contact in any emergency situation. According to PEMA, Pennsylvania 911 centers process nearly 14.5 million requests for emergency services annually. For National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW), April 9-15, Capital Region Council of Governments, comprised of the 21 companies that joined together to launch the CapitalRegionFirefighter.org recruitment campaign, celebrate and honor the invaluable contribution made by telecommunication personnel to public safety.

NPSTW is a week dedicated to acknowledging and thanking telecommunicators for their critical role in emergency response. Every day and night all across the country, public safety telecommunicators answer emergency and non-emergency calls. They connect callers to emergency care and provide valuable resources to those in need.

Emergency dispatchers also provide crucial information to firefighters and EMS personnel every day. The fire companies that serve the Capital Region know firsthand the critical role that telecommunicators play in public safety. Without their dedicated service and hard work, the timely response and effective management of emergencies would not be possible.

Capital Region Fire Companies Provide the Following Tips for Speaking to 911 Telecommunicators

Calling 911 is very stressful and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. If you choose to call 911, know what to expect and how to react:

• 911 is for police, fire, and medical emergencies only. Non-emergency calls should be directed to non-emergency phone numbers.
• Details are critical. Stay on the line with the 911 operator and answer all their questions.
• An accurate location is crucial for first responders to act as fast as possible. If you do not know the exact address, provide the details that you can such as landmarks, cross streets, signs and buildings.
• Try to stay calm and speak clearly.
• Don’t hang up when calling 911. If you called by mistake, let the operator know.
• DO NOT call 911 for jokes or prank calls.

This NPSTW, the fire companies that serve the Capital Region express their deepest gratitude and appreciation to telecommunicators and all emergency dispatchers across the nation for their unwavering commitment to public safety.

Are you ready to protect the community and respond when a fire or another emergency call comes in? Sign up to volunteer with our team at capitalregionfirefighter.org.