[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5368-5369]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Torres) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Public Safety 
Telecommunicators Week.
  After working 18 years as a 911 dispatcher, I know firsthand the 
challenges our public safety dispatchers face, the stress that they are 
put under, and the critical importance of their work. This is why, last 
week, I was proud to introduce a resolution commemorating National 
Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
  I remember working the graveyard shift four floors below ground and 
taking calls from people from all walks of life, often during their 
most vulnerable moments. 911 dispatchers hear it all. They are the 
first point of contact for public safety, and no matter the crisis, 
losing control is simply not an option.
  National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week also provides us with 
the opportunity to remind our constituents of the importance of keeping 
emergency lines open for just that--emergencies. 911 isn't an 
information line, and local governments have limited resources.

                              {time}  1015

  They can't afford to have 911 lines tied up with non-life-threatening 
emergencies. Simply put, there is no excuse for 911 abuse.
  I encourage people to familiarize themselves with their local police 
and fire departments' nonemergency phone numbers, have them readily 
available or refer to 311 or their local info line where available. 
Keeping 911 lines clear is crucial to ensuring dispatchers are readily 
available during an emergency.
  Every day public safety dispatchers help save lives. They provide 
comfort and reassurance, and they are an integral part of our law 
enforcement teams. Yet, too often, their work goes unrecognized.
  When you need a calming voice to guide you through a crisis, when law 
enforcement, fire safety, and rescue personnel are in need of seamless 
coordination at a moment's notice, when every second counts, 911 
dispatchers are on the other end of the line. They are the unsung 
heroes of the first responder community.
  This National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, let's recognize 
and honor the hundreds of thousands of public safety telecommunicators 
working round the clock to keep our communities safe.

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