911 Dispatchers recognized during National Telecommunicators Week!

OCEA members perform telecommunications work at various public agencies. AMEA Board member Tracy Nolan (top right) is a Fire Dispatch Supervisor. Photo: Behind the Badge.

Dear OCEA member,

April 12 -18 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week recognizing the contributions of our public safety dispatchers. Across the nation in times of intense personal crisis and community-wide disasters, these public servants are the first voices our residents hear when they call for help.  

The local and county emergency communications centers that receive 9-1-1 calls have emerged as the first and single point of contact for persons seeking immediate relief during an emergency.

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International celebrates Telecommunicators Week annually to honor the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to the people of our country.

Many of you may know Sami Soto, a dispatcher with the OCFA. She provides a strong voice for this important job classification as an OCEA Board member. 

Your fellow OCEA members stand together with you and your commitment and dedication to providing life-saving services to the public. We know it’s a stressful, demanding job that requires an incredible amount of skill and discipline and the dispatchers and telecommunicators in our union perform that job in a way that makes our community proud.

Happy National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week!

In Solidarity,

Lezlee Neebe
OCEA President

Publication Date: April 15, 2020