Over one-half million dedicated men and women are engaged in the operation of Public Safety Answering Points (Dispatch Centers) around the world. Here in Wood County you are served by twenty-one such Dispatchers. These individuals are responsible for responding to the telephone calls of the general public for police, fire, and emergency medical services and for dispatching assistance to help save the lives and property of our citizens.
Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed April 08-14, 2012, Telecommunicators (Dispatchers) Week to thank these public servants for the very important service they provide. As Department Head of the Wood County Dispatch Center, I also want to recognize and show appreciation for my twenty-one employees and all they do each day. Their constant hard work and dedication during the past year has brought the Wood County Dispatch Center to the point it is today and we will continue to deliver and improve on our service.
This week has been set aside so everyone can be made more aware of their hard work and dedication, which provides a vital link to the public safety services on which we have come to rely upon every day. 4 dedicated Dispatchers are on duty 24 hours a day to answer your 9-1-1 calls. Our Center answered almost 122,000 calls in 2011 with an increasing trend coming from cellular phones, nearly 62% and increasing rapidly. These cellular calls can be tracked with our mapping equipment if the caller is using a GPS equipped phone. If not or if there is a malfunction in the system the location of the caller is vital. Always try to be aware of your location when making these calls. Also, we many times receive multiple calls on the same accident or incident with many of the callers being “drive-bys” that are unable to provide us with vital information. Vital information such as location, injuries and number of injured, road blockage, fire or entrapment is critical so we can send the proper resources.
Please join me in commending the Wood County Dispatch Center Staff, during National Telecommunicators Week, by sending a card or letter to personally thank them for their great work in providing the people of Wood County the help they need when they need it the most.
