[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 64 (Thursday, April 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING 9-1-1 DISPATCHERS DURING NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY 
                         TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. NORMA J. TORRES

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 2022

  Mrs. TORRES of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor 9-1-1 
dispatchers during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which 
runs from April 10th until April 16th this year.
  Since 1981, the second week in April has been designated as National 
Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, so that we can honor and 
celebrate our public safety dispatchers, and thank them for the 
critical work that they do on behalf of our communities.
  Public safety telecommunicators are the first line of defense in a 
crisis. Every time a 9-1-1 dispatcher answers the phone, the decisions 
they make can be the difference between life and death. They are the 
first, first responders in any crisis.
  Without public safety telecommunicators, our police, firefighters, 
and paramedics can't do their jobs. Our emergency response depends on 
having an expert on the line who can accurately convey information, 
coordinate multiple teams of first responders, and help ensure the 
safety of the person on the other end of the line.
  Public safety telecommunicators are trained to handle any situation 
in a clear and calm manner. They can help someone administer CPR, aid 
someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis, respond to crimes 
in progress, and give advice that prevents harm, among many other 
things.
  There should be no doubt that this is a difficult profession. 
Dispatchers work long hours. They face an extreme emotional and 
physical toll, something that has been compounded by the pandemic. As 
others worked in a virtual environment during COVID, dispatchers stayed 
on the job, at the risk of their own health and safety, so that they 
could continue helping our communities. And as technology and demands 
have increased, the job has gotten more difficult and complicated over 
time.
  Through it all, dispatchers play a key role in public safety, from 
responding to reports of violent crimes, to helping individuals 
administer first aid, to addressing reports of missing or abducted 
children.
  When a member of the public calls 9-1-1, they are often in a moment 
of stress or danger. The person who answers the phone is the first 
person to hear them ask for help, and to make sure that they get the 
assistance they need. This job is a critical public service.
  Madam Speaker, as a former 9-1-1 dispatcher for more than 17 years, I 
am proud to honor the work of Public Safety Telecommunicators here in 
the House of Representatives.

                          ____________________