The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department is honoring its dispatchers this week as part of National Telecommunicators’ Week. which runs April 13-19.
In 1991, Congress set aside the second week of April for the nationwide honors.
“Public safety agencies, nationwide, have recognized the pivotal role played by dispatchers who, with their technical skills, provide support to law enforcement, fire services and emergency medical services,” Sheriff Randy Wright said in a news release.
Wright praised the work of Communications Supervisor Maria McCoy and dispatchers Jason Boldt, Mary Beck, Lisa Onesti, Rogene Wegner, Deb Godding, Kim Krause, Lucy Klosterman, Kasey Cross, Deanna Schuebel, Jennifer Peterson, Nicholas Uttecht, Jamie Koenig, Kathleen Poole and Malorie Notz.
“Shawano County is fortunate to have these individuals dedicated to calming the anxious and frightened individuals requesting emergency services,” Wright said.
“These people represent some of the most talented and dedicated individuals answering the calls when citizens need help,” he said. “Those calls can range from normal squad radio traffic to talking a person out of suicide; giving CPR instructions to a parent whose child is choking; dispatching ambulance and fire personnel to traffic accidents; listening to the voice of an elderly person just wanting someone to talk to.”
Wright said the calls come in at no set pace.
“Officers’ lives depend on them to know exactly where they are,” he said. “It can be quiet one moment and then go to complete chaos when, at the same time, every caller expects the person who answers their call for help to give them their complete attention. All of this must be done with style, grace and uncompromised competence.”
In 2013, the Shawano County Dispatch Center answered 28,309 calls for service. Of those, there were approximately 10,502 calls made to 911.
“Please join us in recognizing the important work these individuals do on a daily basis,” Wright said. “It is our hope that you never have to make that frantic call. But if you should ever have to, you can rely on these skilled professionals to guide you through your emergency.”