Last week, dispatchers were recognized for their role in saving lives and helping the public during Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Gov. John Kitzhaber issued a proclamation recognizing Oregon’s telecommunicators and the crucial role they play in their communities.
The weeklong event each recognizes the men and women who answer the public’s emergency 911 calls for help. Often, these individuals are never seen. They are often only a voice on the phone during a time of need but a vital link in the public safety system.
Sweet Home Police Department’s communications center received 9,609 calls last year. Of those, 7,658 were police calls; 232, fire; and 1,714, ambulance.
The department receives both emergency calls and non-emergency calls, dispatching for two agencies.
“The professional public safety telecommunicator is that vital link between the citizen or victim and the public safety provider who may apprehend a criminal, save their possessions from fire, save their life or the life of a loved one,” Gov. Kitzhaber said.
Locally, dispatchers are responsible for all incoming phone lines, reception and dispatching police officers, firefighters and paramedics.
Their main concern is saving lives, Communications Supevisor Penny Leland said. “They’re the vital link between the public and a police officer, fire or ambulance.”
Beyond taking calls and dispatching, Sweet Home’s dispatchers are trained in dealing with medical emergencies while paramedics are en route to a call, Leland said. They can provide life-saving instructions to callers, explaining the Heimlich maneuver or CPR.
“It can be very tense,” Leland said. “They have to be able to remain calm and stay focused on the call.”
That calm was tested in September when Dispatcher Lisa Davis was on the line with a man who was telling her that he was going to shoot a police officer if the officer did not back away. During the incident, the man, Michael Peverieri, counted down from five and began firing at the officer.
Peverieri was convicted last week for attempted murder.
“Lisa did a great job,” Leland said. She kept the officer informed about what Peverieri was doing and relayed information to additional units and coordinate paramedics.
That incident showed the impact that dispatchers can have on an emergency call, Leland said.
Often, dispatchers are dealing with multiple calls, counter traffic and radio traffic from officers, paramedics and firefighters.
“They have to be able to prioritize,” Leland said, and they need to be able to “multi-task.”
“I have a great crew,” Leland said. “As a citizen, when I’ve had to call for help, I’m very confident – not just because I work here – that help’s going to get there.”
Sweet Home dispatchers include Carol Ann Salsbery, Laynette Stack, Michelle Oeder, Davis, Teresa Groshong and Kelli Dunleavy.