In 1991, the United States Congress designated the second week in April as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. “This is a week for us to take special note of the life-saving work done every day by public safety telecommunicators,” Eaton County 911 Director Michael Armitage said.
“We have tried to make this week extra special for them as they do a very stressful and often thankless job. I appreciate our local public safety agencies, local organizations, businesses, and individuals who have taken the time to tell them ‘thank you’ this week.”
Eaton County Central Dispatch serves as the primary point for dispatching police, fire, and EMS responses. Telecommunicators also provide medical pre-arrival instructions; activate weather alerts, towing services, hospitals, road commission, utility, and public works department notifications; handle call-outs for specialized response teams such as search and rescue, activating medical examiners, and hazmat response teams, Armitage said,
Telecommunicators receive calls through many various 911 dialing systems including wireless, traditional telephones, Voice Over the Internet Protocol (VoIP), and via texts.
Quick Facts about 911 in Eaton County:
• 26 public safety agencies served.
• 138,260 calls were answered in 2018 and 55 text sessions to 911.
• 72,965 Police Incidents, 15,177 EMS Incidents, and 6,563 Fire Incidents were dispatched in 2018.
• In becoming a telecommunicator, individuals first participate in 80 hours of basic and advanced dispatch training within their first 24 months of employment.
• Eaton County 911 telecommunicators maintain continuing education requirements by participating in approved courses and accumulating at least 24 continuing education hours every 24 months.
• Eaton County offers Smart911 at no charge- visit smart911.com to learn more and sign-up.
Eaton County dispatchers were to be honored April 19th at the Michigan State Capital building by Representatives Sarah Lightner, Angela Whitwer, and Senator Tom Barrett.
