From April 8-14, Jessamine County’s citizens, government officials and public-safety representatives will have an opportunity to celebrate some of the county’s unsung heroes: public-safety telecommunicators.
Public-safety telecommunicators are those men and women who work behind the scene, answering 911 calls and ensuring that 911 callers receive professional and timely assistance and quickly get the help they need.
“Telecommunicators are a crucial part of the public-safety program,” Jessamine County Judge-Executive Neal Cassity said. “Anyone who has ever called 911, whether it was because of a health emergency, a fire, or an incident that required help from the police or sheriff departments, has benefited from their professionalism and dedication. I’m pleased to have an opportunity to recognize them for their outstanding service.”
As part of the week, individual citizens and representatives of government and public-health agencies are encouraged to recognize telecommunicators and the service they provide.
“At public-safety headquarters in Jessamine County, we plan special activities during the week, and we invite representatives of various government and safety organizations that don’t normally get to see what we do, like the county attorney’s office, the sheriff’s office, and various fiscal-court departments,” E-911 Telecommunications Supervisor Shelby Horn said.
In past years, citizens have shown their support and appreciation through cards and letters, according to Horn.
“That type of recognition means a lot, because telecommunicators are never physically on the scene of an incident or accident, and it’s easy for the public to forget just how important they are,” Horn said. “Telecommunicators understand the term ‘24/7’ in a way that very few other professionals do.”
When operating at full staff, Jessamine County has 16 full-time telecommunicators; four telecommunicators are on duty during each shift. Jessamine County telecommunicators currently answer an average of 129 calls (including both landline and cell-phone calls) to 911 per day.
“No matter what day it is, or what time of day or night it is, they are at their posts, working,” Horn said.
Jessamine County telecommunicators spend over a year in training with the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council’s Department of Criminal Justice, the DOCJT Academy, and on the job.
“They are a dedicated group of professionals, and we are all safer because of their efforts,” Cassity said.
For more information, call 859-885-4500 or visit www.jessamineco.com.
