This week is National Public Safety Telecommunication Week, so let an emergency 911 dispatcher know they are appreciated.
Trooper Captain Andy Greenstreet said there are about 20 employees from the borough and the Department of Public Safety in the Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center.
Greenstreet: “They do a phenomenal job, they are true and first responders, they’re the ones who get that call usually when somebody is in crisis so most every call they deal with is when somebody else is in crisis and they do an excellent job of managing that and getting the caller the resources that they need, whether that’s State Troopers, whether it’s Soldotna Police, whether that’s fire or emergency personnel, they just do an outstanding job.”
He said that Kenai has their own center but dispatchers area wide are greatly appreciated for their hard work.
Greenstreet: “They have to listen to the caller, evaluate what their needs are while typing on a screen, there’s no more hand writing, it’s all put in with a keyboard, which is a challenge for me (laughs), and at the same time talking on the radio, keeping track of where those resources are and at the same time maintaining responding officers’ safety.”
Greenstreet said local dispatchers have enjoyed the appreciation this week.
The annual celebration of emergency dispatchers is the second full week in April each year.