911-What’s Your Emergency? That is the answer to a call that no one ever wants to make but when it becomes necessary and you need emergency help you are relieved to hear the phrase.
The person answering the call is the “first” first responder who is there to assist you, some may say they are the first on the scene but never to be seen. This week has been set aside to honor those 911 dispatchers as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Shirley Gray serves as the Director of the local Dispatch Center and explains all 911 calls are serious and require decisions by the dispatcher.
click to download audioGray noted every call is different.
click to download audioGray added they are required to be there all day every day.
click to download audioGray served as a dispatcher for several years before taking over as Dispatch Director and has to plan for the daily operation of the center.
click to download audioWe have heard about the blue line for police and the red line for firefighters and Gray shared a motto about the Gold Line for dispatchers.
click to download audioWPKY will continue our recognition of National Telecommunications Week with more from Gray and hear from dispatcher Stevie Newby in an upcoming newscast.
