[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S2523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATOR'S WEEK

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to bring recognition to 
a very special group of people in our Nation, our public safety 
communicators. These people are the ones who, hour after hour, stand by 
ready to dispatch emergency assistance to Americans in times of crisis 
and often tragedy. In 1992, President George Bush set aside the week of 
April 9th through the 15th to bring special recognition to all of those 
who dispatch emergency aid across this great country. Everyday 
Americans reach for the telephone to dial the numbers 9-1-1, seeking a 
voice that will bring them the help they so desperately require. A 
parent holding a child who has suffered a life threatening injury, an 
elderly person who has no one else to turn to, or a family who has 
awakened to a home filled with smoke; they are all calling this number 
just waiting for the voice that will bring them much needed assistance. 
The men and women who answer the 9-1-1 call are the ones who often make 
the difference between life and death for thousands of people in this 
country every single day. Our 9-1-1 dispatchers are on call 365 days a 
year, 24 hours a day, always there with that calm reassuring voice that 
puts hope back in the hearts of those in need. It is a great honor for 
me to bring recognition to these unsung heroes of our country and I 
hope that you will join me in offering your praise and thanks.

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