[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 4160-4161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California 
(Mrs. Torres) for 30 minutes.
  Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, California is a much warmer State and much 
more beautiful, if I may add that.
  I rise today to recognize National Public Safety Telecommunicators 
Week.
  After 17\1/2\ years as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I know firsthand the 
challenges our public safety dispatchers face, the stress they are put 
under, and the critical importance of their work. That is why I am 
proud to introduce a resolution commemorating National Public Safety 
Telecommunicators Week.
  I remember working the graveyard shift at the LAPD, sitting four 
floors below ground, taking calls from people from all walks of life, 
often during their most vulnerable time in their lives.

                              {time}  1615

  In fact, it was my work as a 9-1-1 dispatcher that got me involved in 
politics.
  When I was working for the LAPD, I took a call from a little girl who 
ended up being murdered at the hands of her uncle. When I answered that 
9-1-1 call, all I could hear was thumping. Later, I learned that that 
thumping noise was her head being bashed against the wall. Soon after, 
five shots were fired, and she was murdered--11 years old, murdered at 
the hands of her uncle.
  I yield to my colleague, the gentleman from the San Fernando Valley, 
Congressional District 29, Tony Cardenas, to share with us some 
information about how he supports 9-1-1 dispatchers in his district.
  Mr. CARDENAS. I thank the gentlewoman.
  To my colleague, Norma Torres, thank you for bringing up this very, 
very important opportunity for awareness of this issue on the floor of 
the House of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, yes, it is National Public Safety Telecommunicators 
Week, but it is really important for us to understand that, in America, 
everything starts with us--the individuals.
  I will just add to this dialogue that it is up to all of us to keep 
our communities safe. If we do that well, maybe we won't need so many 
9-1-1 operators. We have heard so many times and too often of those 
frantic calls when someone is calling 9-1-1 because the action has 
already started, because the atrocity has already begun. As Americans, 
we should be vigilant and understand that we all have a collective 
responsibility to be the safe keepers of our communities so that we 
minimize the number of 9-1-1 calls any one individual in our 
neighborhoods or in our communities across America would ever have to 
make.
  I take this opportunity to mention someone, Krystal Blackburn, who is 
the assistant supervisor at the Harrodsburg Police Department. She has 
been a 9-1-1 operator for some time now, and I quote one portion of 
what was mentioned on the House floor this afternoon:

       9-1-1 has changed my life. It has shaped me, and I have 
     grown into a role that I wasn't even sure I wanted in the 
     beginning. It has become a way of life that I wouldn't change 
     for any reason. I am 9-1-1.

  Once again, ladies and gentlemen, I think it is important for us to 
take the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the eclectic 
responsibilities that friends and neighbors have in every community 
across America. In every situation, let people take on that 
professionalism so as to be the solution--to be the go-to person--when 
we need them most. It is important for people to understand that our 
dispatchers at 9-1-1 and that our safety community around America 
deserve our support and deserve our recognition. Most importantly, they 
deserve our thanks.
  I thank the gentlewoman for giving me the opportunity to express my 
thoughts on this very important issue.
  Mrs. TORRES. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, so few people know what it is like to be an emergency 
dispatcher and don't truly understand how crucial our role is. They 
don't get that without us. They don't get that without you. First 
responders wouldn't be able to do their jobs without someone's 
answering that 9-1-1 call.
  Back when I served in the California State Assembly, the State budget 
crisis meant that 9-1-1 dispatchers were furloughed because they 
weren't exempt as public safety professionals. Hundreds of calls went 
unanswered. Who knows how many lives were put at risk? I spent months 
badgering Governor Schwarzenegger until he realized the catastrophic 
effect the policy was having on our State. God forbid there had been an 
event like San Bernardino during that time and calls couldn't get 
through or first responders didn't know where to go.
  Sadly, too many people think of dispatchers as a little more than 
glorified receptionists. This means that they don't often get the 
resources, the training, and the support they need and deserve in order 
to do their jobs. Dispatchers are the first points of contact in the 
event of an emergency, and they are the sole link between those in 
trouble and the personnel who can help them. Better training and more 
support would go a long way toward improving service and increasing 
staff retention.
  During this year's State of the Union, I had the honor of inviting as 
my guest the dispatch supervisor who directed radio and call traffic 
during the San Bernardino attack. While the police, fire, and EMS 
responders definitely deserve a lot of credit, there had

[[Page 4161]]

been very little mention in the media about the key role the public 
safety telecommunicators played.
  Annemarie Teall and her team were the ones behind the scene, making 
sure the first responders were deployed efficiently and effectively. 
They fielded calls from the community, from law enforcement agencies, 
and from callers from all over the country and the world. During a 
situation that can quickly become pure chaos, they stayed calm, took 
action, and helped save lives.
  When she was here, Annemarie discussed the training she had received 
in dealing with these types of situations and how grateful she was for 
that training. Unfortunately, this kind of training isn't a regular 
occurrence.
  Without public safety telecommunicators, our first responders can't 
do their jobs. The response of police, firefighters, and paramedics is 
dependent upon the quality and accuracy of the information the 
dispatcher is able to provide. Public safety telecommunicators don't 
just take calls and relay information; they also play a key role in 
coordinating multiple teams of first responders from multiple agencies 
during times of crisis. They are a vital link for police, fire, and EMS 
as they monitor their activities by radio and provide them with 
information that can ensure their safety and an efficient, effective 
response.
  9-1-1 dispatchers have also helped in the apprehension of criminals 
and have helped bring them to justice because, in many cases, they are 
witnesses to the crimes as they occur. In the case that I stated 
earlier, I was the only witness. It was that recorded call that brought 
justice to that little girl.
  Public Safety Telecommunicators Week not only provides us with the 
opportunity to recognize the hard work of our dispatchers, but it is 
also a reminder to our constituents of the importance of maintaining 
emergency lines free for just that--emergencies. There is no excuse for 
9-1-1 abuse. Some estimates indicate that 15 to 20 percent of incoming 
calls are nonemergencies. These calls could prevent legitimate 
emergency calls from getting through and being answered. For example, 
as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I remember receiving calls from those who were 
asking for directions to Disneyland, who were asking if an earthquake 
had just occurred, or who were asking for the time of day. Those are 
not emergencies. Dispatchers can't send for assistance if they never 
receive the call.
  9-1-1 is not an information line. Local governments have limited 
resources and few dispatchers. Many localities have info lines--for 
example, 3-1-1 or 5-1-1. I encourage individuals to look up their local 
police departments and have their nonemergency police numbers on hand. 
I also encourage them to add that information to their cell phones so 
that the number is readily available when they have emergencies.
  I can give you many examples of when people have dialed 9-1-1 from a 
cell phone and the dispatcher does not have the accurate location. 
Imagine if you were in the middle of having a heart attack and if you 
were not able to voice your location. Having that local telephone 
number is important because your call would be expedited to the local 
paramedic or to the local police department that has jurisdiction over 
where you may be.
  It is never too early to teach kids about the proper uses of 9-1-1. 
You never know when an emergency will happen, and your child may be the 
only one who is able to get help. Teach children how to dial the number 
and stay on the line and when they should and shouldn't dial 9-1-1. One 
bad example is when my children were looking for me. They knew at the 
time that I worked at the 9-1-1 center. They dialed 9-1-1 and asked for 
their mom. That is not a true, good 9-1-1 call. Discourage your 
children from making inquiries to that emergency line.
  Every day, public safety dispatchers help save lives, provide comfort 
and reassurance, and are a critical part of our law enforcement teams, 
but, 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, they are on the other line. 9-1-1 
dispatchers are the unsung heroes of the first responder community.
  I want to share with you another story of a 9-1-1 dispatcher:

       I had to make sacrifices as a soldier to serve my country, 
     and I have to make sacrifices as a dispatcher to serve my 
     community. I knew this when I chose this profession--we have 
     to be on call; we have to work overtime; we have to work 
     holidays; we have to work nights; we have to work weekends; 
     and we have to be reachable 24/7, and it is tough.
       I spent most of my life in the service of others--22 years 
     in the military, 8 years with the Texas Youth Commission, 
     over 2 years in Iraq assisting military forces, and nearly 8 
     years as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. I can't remember how many life 
     events I have not been a part of because I was working, 
     sacrificing, in order to help others. It is only tolerable 
     and manageable with the assistance of my fellow team and 
     family members helping me when I just couldn't get through it 
     without their help.
       We have committed ourselves to this calling, and we are 
     very good at it. We have sacrificed ourselves in the service 
     of others because someone had to do it.

  That came from Richard Dulin of the Coleman Police Department.

       The first thing he said when I answered the phone was: ``I 
     just shot myself in the heart.'' Given that he was still 
     speaking, I figured he probably didn't hit his heart, but the 
     point was pretty clear. I established that he had, in fact, 
     shot himself in the chest about 30 minutes before he had 
     dialed 9-1-1. He waited to call because he was not sure if he 
     wanted to live.
       Unfortunately, we don't tend to get a lot of closure, so I 
     have no idea if he lived or died.

  Kyle from Kitsap County, Washington.
  The stories go on and on, and I could go on and on for the rest of 
the time and share with you about the wonderful work that these 
committed people do each and every single day for our communities.
  I close, Mr. Speaker, by thanking the 9-1-1 dispatchers and 
recognizing the hard work they do for our communities every single day.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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