A Message From APCO’s President
The second full week of April is set aside as a time to express our thanks and appreciation for public safety telecommunicators around the country. For those of us called to public service, being acknowledged …
TCSO Dispatchers
We are one of the largest counties in the state and field thousands and thousands of calls for service per year. Our dispatchers are constantly on top of where their troops are and their well …
Who’s Your Sidekick or Super Team?
Most superheroes don’t have to go it alone. Some have a sidekick. Batman and Robin. The Lone Ranger and Tonto. Snoopy and Woodstock. Or maybe they are part of a super team like the Fantastic …
The Calm Voice in the Dark
On Wednesday, April 13, 2022, Western Region 911 Emergency Center celebrated the National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week (NPSTW), which is held annually during the second week of April, to honor the emergency center’s staff for …
Wonder Woman
Supervisor Tina Johnson is not only amazing and wonderful person. Tina is literally Wonder Woman Even though Tina is assigned as night shift dog-watch supervisor, with all her experience, she wears many hats in this …
Active Bees
Here at Adams County E911 Dispatch Center we take our job to the max. We go over and beyond with each call to ensure we are getting all the help that the callers need. We …
A Message from APCO’s President
You are a hero behind the headset. Regardless of your tenure in this industry, you’ve made a difference in someone’s life. Every time you look in the mirror, please reflect and remember that. Annually, during …
Telecommunicators, Activate Superpowers
Last year for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we asked you to name your superheroes. Since we agreed you are ALL superheroes, we want to know this year what makes you that way – we’re …
How Are You Celebrating?
It’s that time of year again! Use the form below or add a comment to tell us how you celebrate NPSTW.
A Message from APCO’s President
Each year, we take some time to say thank you to our true first, first responders with National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This week is all about YOU! Emergency Communications Centers (ECC’s) around the world …
Our Team Means The World to Us!
This year we are using a global theme to express our appreciation for the amazing work the team at Yolo 911 does! We plan for themed days with foods, contests, prizes and activities.
A Message From APCO’s President
As we begin this week of April 12-18, designated as a time to celebrate our national public safety telecommunicators, on behalf of the Executive Committee, I want to say THANK YOU for the job you …
NPSTW 2020 Contest Paused;
Support & Recognition Continue
In light of the gravity of the COVID-19 virus situation and the additional work and stress that will fall on our members and others in the public safety community, we are pausing our NPSTW contest. When we re-open it in the future, all stories already posted in the 2020 contest, as well as their “likes” will be maintained.
NTW 2019
We had a week-long celebration of NTW, each day had a different theme. The Division raffled at 65″ television to raise funds for the week’s events. Patrol provided food. The NTW Committee created 2019 …
Week-Long Plan to Acknowledge Amazing 911 Call Takers and Dispatchers
In honor of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is implementing a week-long plan to acknowledge our amazing 911 call takers and dispatchers. The plan …
A Message from APCO’s President
The week of April 14-20, 2019 is a week to celebrate YOU and all that you accomplish each and every day. It is a great time to honor and praise the amazing “service above self” …
National Telecommunicators Week-Through the Decades!
We are celebrating National Telecommunicators Week as “Through the Decades”! This week we will go through the 1940’s-2000’s with games and activities that are era themed. Each day they can dress up as the era …
YOLO 9-1-1 Super Heroes
This year we are celebrating our heroes with a super hero theme. We have a week planned of lots of games, activities and food, of course!
Getting Better Every Year at Celebrating
Our communication center has gotten better every year at celebrating this week! Themed days, from Viva La 911, to Luaus! Our supervisors allows us to do no-uniforms all week with jeans! And even some …
OPCD Goes ALL OUT for #NPSTW
OPCD celebrates NPSTW just like New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras!! Party, party, party! We have themed days like Nerd Day. We also have BBQ’s out back and we are given gifts from our Supervisors and …
The BEST TC WEEK EVER!!!!
Myself and co-supervisor Maura Maschinski have created a list of quizzes and contest that started on February 3rd. Contest includes perfect attendance through March 30th. 100% on QA’s through March 30th, dispatch quizzes, reciting the …
Montgomery County Celebrations
We had a fun filled week! We played Telecommunicator Bingo, Jelly Bean count and ” How well do you know your co-worker? “during the week. The games seemed to be a big hit and we …
West Chester, Ohio, Thanks 911 Emergency Dispatchers
West Chester is singing the praises of its unsung heroes this week during National Public Safety Telecomunnicators Week (NPSTW). NPSTW is celebrated every second week of April as a way to say “thank you” to …
Dedication Video
This year we celebrated with an all new dedication video. The video was full of “thank you’s” and gratitude from fellow airport employees. Dispatchers enjoyed ice cream sundaes from Cold Stone Creamery as they watched …
NTW 2018
We had a theme week for our center which included: Crazy Hat/Hair Day, Decade Day, Hippie Day, Beach Day, Cowboy/Farmer Day, Patriotic Day and more! We have had treats delivered every day our dispatchers and …
Glendale Arizona Telecomm Theme Week
We have put a lot of work into the week and have made it very successful. This week has been a theme week with dressing up each day from GREASE, Mardi Gras, Western Day, Marvel, …
I Celebrate You!
Dear Fellow Dispatchers, Operators, Telecommunicators, You deserve to be celebrated for the services you provide to your community and the field personnel of the agencies that you dispatch. I celebrate YOU! You deserve to be …
NPSTW Trail Mix
This year we did a make your own trail mix bar! We bought trail mix favorites by the pound at a local store and supplied Tupperware to everyone for storing. It was a great alternative to …
Food, Treats and Gifts All Week
Our week is jam packed to celebrate the hard work all of our dispatchers put in! Monday our Admin staff provided breakfast! Tuesday the shifts got pizza for dinner! Wednesday and Friday San Bernardino County …
A Week-Long Celebration of Staff
We have a week long celebration of our staff. Each day is sponsored by a different group within the Sheriff’s office from Police Officer’s Guild to the various Union’s representing the Comm. Center to the …
Nine One One
Thought I would just send you the poem that I wrote for this week. You can see it on FB by this link or read below Nine One One Nine one one Linking life out …
Inside Look: Eaton County Central Dispatch
Here is a nice piece done on dispatchers for NPSTW 2018
Celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
From April 8 to 14, our Public Safety Communications Center will celebrate with themed dress attire, a window decorating competition, Ding Awards, a light-hearted awards reception and more. We provide lunch , we do snow …
We “connect people in need to people with solutions”
In support of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, I posted the following on our Facebook page. Today, April 8, 2018 begins National Public Safety Tele Communicators Week and it continues until April 14. Every year …
Charlie Shift Rocks!
The Emergency Communications Center at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office celebrates PSTW every year and this year is no different. The enclosed photo is the kickoff day for the week and is Charlie shift celebrating …
A Message from APCO’s President
During the week of April 8 – 14, 2018, our emergency communications centers around the country will be celebrating their public safety telecommunicators in a variety of ways. One of the simplest and easiest ways …
Jefferson County Celebrates
This is how Jefferson Co. E-911 will be celebrating and our memo that we sent out: Jefferson Co. E-911 is please to announce the plans/schedule for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. THEME DAYS: Each day …
Aloha Week
Sweets Day, Meal Day, and Casual Dress Day to wear 911 T-shirts jeans and sneakers. Color your Tiki mask and Hawaiian shirt and post on lockers. Name your Luau bear. Create a recipe for tropical …
Ice Cream Sundaes and More
Our County Commissioners signed a proclamation at their last meeting. Also, I will be bringing in Ice Cream and Sundae toppings (chocolate/butterscotch syrup, sprinkles, whip cream, cheries, etc) for all the shifts. Also, we plan …
The Golden Year for the Thin Gold Line
Each team (T1Days, T1Nights, T2Days, T2Nights) are making large window decorations telling the story of the history of each agency we are partnered with (we are a combined communications center). Our Support Services Unit (training …
Our Telecom Week Tradition
Klamath 911 is the primary PSAP for Klamath County, Oregon. We dispatch for about 30 different Police, Fire and EMS agencies. I have been the Director for over 5 years, and an employee starting as …
My Worst Call Will Linger in My Mind Forever
“911 your calls recorded, how may we help you?” Too calmly: “My baby’s not breathing, can you help me?”
National Telecommunicator Week Superlative Awards
Here are a few suggestions for fun awards: The Gumby Award – to the person who is always flexible. The Simon Cowel Award – to the person who you can always count on to be …
Appreciating our dispatchers!
I was a dispatcher for 20 years and we hardly ever received any recognition. So when I was recently hired as the 9-1-1 Coordinator for Huron County, I vowed to change that practice. We have …
Dedication
On the night of Oct 21st 2017, a 420,000 square-foot facility known locally as the Ames Plant caught fire in the city of Parkersburg, WV. Incident Command was quickly established and our Mobile Command Vehicle …
First 911 Call
My first ever 911 call was in July of 2000 on the graveyard shift. A female called saying that someone trying to get into her back door, I immediately started officer her way and stayed …
Showering Them With Gifts
This year both myself and my Director are new to our positions and have come from the Dispatch floor. We decided to celebrate our Dispatchers and have been planning for National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week …
We Love Our Chambers 911 Telecommunicators, Chambers County 911
Every day we have a local business provide breakfast, lunch or dinner to our staff. We play the 911 Bingo, local businesses donate items and we do a drawing. Each day during this week has …
Dispatcher Week at FC911
Here at Fort Collins 911, we take NPSTW celebrations to a new level! Every year, members of our Rewards and Recognition Committee pick a theme for the week, organize activities and games for each day, …
One of Our Own
My story is not about me, but about one of our amazing dispatchers, Trinity University Police Department Telecommunicator, Monica Nava. She has been with our department almost 9 years and is a very big contributor …
Have a Little Fun With It
We honor our Emergency Telecommunications Officers every year. We have been having an Annual Awards Night for a number of years now. Over the past few years we have added on more fun. All week …
From Streamers to Stress
NPSTW 2017 started out as an agency wide celebration and recognition of Suffield’s three (3) full-time and two (2) part-time Public Safety Dispatchers. The Police Chief’s Executive Assistant and Records Clerk had snuck in Sunday …
Makeover
Among other things, the best thing that our administration did was a surprise makeover of our break room. They brought in a new table, chairs, recliner, and added a couch, along with other improvements and …
Cookout for Communications!
In recognition of National Public Safety Communications Week, the OCSO gathered donations from deputies and friends to fund a cook out for not only our own public safety dispatchers but those from all agencies in …
Theme Days for the Week
My dispatchers got together and picked 7 differently themed days. So far we have had superhero day, sports team day, 80’s day and shift color day. Please see some of our fun photos attached!
This.Is.Dispatch.
This.Is.Dispatch Dare to listen in to experience a day in the life of a 9-1-1 dispatcher. You never know what's waiting for you on the other end of the line but we're always ready; whether …
Fairfax County Thank You
Public safety personnel from our Police Department, Sheriff’s Office and Fire and Rescue Department take a moment to say thanks to the staff of the county’s 9-1-1 Center — Fairfax County’s public safety telecommunicators — …
New Year’s Eve
Many years ago I was working the 3pm to 11pm shift on December 31st. I got a call around 11 pm from a man who said he was going to kill himself at midnight and he …
PSTs Honored, Recognized in the News
In the weeks leading up and beginning this week, many local and national newspapers have published stories about NPSTW. Some have recognized individuals, some have focused on events, and a good number have highlighted the demanding and generally …
Lost Boy
I started my career in 1978, working for the Casper, WY, Police Department. I hadn’t been there long when I took a phone call from a frantic mother saying that her 6 year old son …
Each Call Could Mean a Life
Many years ago I started this journey, a journey to become an underappreciated seldom seen very important part of emergency services. I had only called 9-1-1 once in my life, that was the day three …
The Reason
I grew up in a small town (Ionia) near here. I watched Emergency on TV when I was young, but never thought I would be sitting here answering the phones at a Sheriff’s Office. This …
A Message From APCO’s President
This past year has shown a light on public safety telecommunicators. In September, APCO initiated a campaign to ensure that the federal government accords telecommunicators the recognition and respect they deserve by being reclassified as …
9-1-1 — Vital and Complex
I started my career with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in 1993 as an emergency communications officer. I worked my way through call taking, dispatch, investigative, NCIC, and I finished as a dispatch supervisor in 1998 …
Thank You Video From Citizens and First Responders
One of the recurring themes I’ve heard from fellow call takers and dispatchers is nobody says thank you for the work that we do and that it’s a thankless job. The team at the El …
Let’s Have Some Fun
NTW is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I have been organizing NTW for a few years now. Our Assistant Director is a huge help to me and helps me make this week …
The Call That I Won’t Forget
It was a slow weekend morning in the tiny suburban city that I used to work for. You were my first and only call that day. As I was saying “911, where’s your emergency”, I …
We Are The Ones in 9-1-1
See the Austin Police Department’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter sites for a recruiting project we are working on. We just started a two profile series called “Meet the Ones in 9-1-1” as we build up …
The Last Voice
When you work with a group of officers, especially if you tend to take the same shift rotation after rotation, you become a close-knit group, able to anticipate each other’s thoughts and actions in a …
Officer Needs Assistance
It was not “my officer” but his cries for help pierced my soul just the same. “I have been shot!” are four words no dispatcher ever wants to hear whether the officer is of their …
Helping Hand
I began my life venture on the private side of Public Safety for a gated community. We were sworn officer, first responder, convenience officer and the list goes on. I worked there for over 10 …
It Was Good to Know You
Early in my career, probably in 2004 or so I received a call from a man who lived in one of our unincorporated communities, I can no longer remember his name, but I will never …
Team Work
At approximately 1300 on June 7, 2016 we received a phone call from a very distressed young man who, along with two friends, were tubing on the Arkansas River in Pueblo County when their tube …
Thunderbird Down
On June 2, 2016 the U.S. Air Force Academy was hosting the U.S. President for the 2016 commencement exercise and the Air Force Thunderbirds were in town for their flyover of the graduation ceremony. Beginning …
Two Year Old Having a Seizure
I was working day shift on Thursday August 4, 2016 at the Call Taker position for the Wood County Central Communications Center aka Wood County E911. I took a 911 call of a 2 year …
Suicidal Victim Gets Help
On December 20, 2016 at 10:15 a.m., Dispatcher Catie Guzman was on duty in the Communications Center for the University at Buffalo Police. The semester had just ended at UB and most of the students …
Guardian of the County
I have had the pleasure of being a 911 dispatcher for police, fire and rescue for a little over ten years. I have taken more calls then I could even begin to count; some good, …
More Than Just a “Paycheck Job”
In May of 2012, I started my career as a 911 Telecommunicator. When I walked into the police department on the morning of May 1st, I never knew how my life was going to change. …
The Communications Family
What means the most to me about being a Telecommunicator? I have thought and pondered this question since it was first posted, and every time I try to formulate an answer I keep changing my …
That’s What We Do
I have been working for our agency for 28 years. I started part time and worked my way to Director in 6 years. We are a very small county, everyone knows everyone else so almost …
Something More
September 11 2001, I sat and watched as our world changed as well as my view of the world, the blinders were off. The naïve idea that I was in control of my life and …
Baby not Breathing
It was 0715 on my last night shift right before I was getting off at 0730 of my last shift for 4 days. 911 line rang and I answer to hear a mother that told …
That Moment…
January 5, 2016, started out like any other day shift. Day was busy with calls coming in asking for every division within the department except for Dispatch. Detectives were running in and out of the …
Code Blue
I talked to you while you were home alone having a heart attack and couldn’t breathe. You quit talking to me before the paramedics arrived. I stayed on the line in case you had just …
Goodbye my friend
I was on duty when a call came in from a tower that was not in our jurisdiction. I answered the phone and a male said he wanted to report someone dead in their vehicle. …
Saving a Life
This occurred more than a decade ago. I received a call from a frightened, distraught woman. She purchased a pair of shoes that he husband disapproved of, either because she was not allowed to spend …
Keep Going
My name is Melissa and I am proud to say that I have served in Public Safety for 22 years. Some good times and some very hard times. Comparing the present to the past there …
The Dispatcher’s Burden
I started my career as a 911 dispatcher my freshman year of college in 2010. At the time it was just a way for me to make a living but turned into more than I …
My Communications Officers Are Amazing People
I have been a communications officer for almost 12 years. I began at a local sheriff’s office and then transferred over to the State Patrol in 2007. I was promoted in 2014 to Communications Supervisor. …
Just Today
So many of the stories over the years you think you will remember, just seem to blend into each other because what we do is just a day at work. We only dispatch LE so …
I Just Like Your Voice
It was a mid-December evening, around dinner time, when I answered a 911 call. Never knowing what’s going to be on the other end of the line when answering can be stressful at times – …
Thank You for Sharing Your Stories From the Frontline
APCO’s request for telecommunicator’s stories to publish on this site yielded more than 50 entries and a wide variety of submissions – intense, amusing, heartbreaking … and all true. We express our gratitude to all …
Rep. Norma Torres Introduces NPSTW Resolution,
Speaks About Honoring Telecommunicators
On April 13, 2016, United States Representative Norma Torres (35th Dist. Calif.), herself a 9-1-1 dispatcher before entering politics, introduced a resolution on National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. “After 17-1/2 years as a 911 dispatcher, I know firsthand …
Telecommunicators, NPSTW Are Big News
This month, more than 300 newspapers have written about NPSTW and the recognition due public safety telecommunicators for their demanding and generally unseen role in emergency response. Browse the still growing list to see the multitude …
A Message from APCO’s President
Since I became your APCO president in August 2015, I have been talking about the importance of WE and I can’t think of a better time to reinforce that than during National Public Safety Telecommunicators …
A Life-Changing Call
(Recording of a 9-1-1 call in which a dispatcher guided a husband through CPR on his wife, who had collapsed.) I can’t tell you much I love my job and the amazing feeling I had …
