Gratitude for 9-1-1 and the dispatchers

April 9-15, 2017 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week -- a week to celebrate the hard working men and women behind the scenes keeping our community safe.

In this day of cell phones, instant messaging, and Wi-Fi available even at the local coffee shop, it’s important that we all take a moment and appreciate how technology has influenced our daily lives.

It wasn’t that long ago (before 1969 in fact) that if you had an emergency and needed assistance from the local police or fire station, you had to know or look up their phone number (or have it written down somewhere handy).

Thankfully, in 1967, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended that a nationwide, “single number be established” for reporting emergency situations.

A month later, 911 became available for the first time.

9-1-1 call receivers and dispatchers are a critical part of public safety.

“The first person a citizen usually has contact with in a crisis is the person who answers the phone when they call 9-1-1,” said King County Sheriff John Urquhart.  “Additionally our dispatchers are a life line for our deputies.  9-1-1 call receivers and dispatchers are a critical part of public safety.”

The King County Sheriff’s Office proudly supports the men and women who answer the calls and dispatch our deputies.  They are an invaluable resource for the Sheriff’s Office and we proudly recognize these professionals who are committed to excellence.