Every day, across our country, Americans facing emergencies contact 911 with the expectation that their call will be heard and someone will be dispatched quickly to render aid. The professional public safety telecommunicators that keep our 911 system running are the lifeline between the public and our first responders.
This week, April 11 to 17, is recognized as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, and NTIA is proud to honor and thank the thousands of telecommunicators across the nation who answer the call of service to help their fellow Americans when they are most in need.
Public safety telecommunicators field more than 240 million calls each year, streamlining emergency responses and serving as a calming voice as they ensure that the day’s crises and challenges are met. This year, we also recognize that emergency call centers have been operating under pandemic-related restrictions, with depleted staff, while continuing to serve the many people affected by COVID-19.
NTIA, alongside the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is jointly administering a grant program that is designed to help modernize the 911 system and make the job easier for these telecommunications professionals. Grants have been awarded to states and tribal nations to fund next-generation 911 training for telecommunicators, as well as the equipment, IP networks and services to improve call handling. We are proud to contribute to this effort to support our nation’s public safety telecommunicators, and will continue to promote technology solutions that benefit public safety. NTIA is a champion of the public safety community and we thank your service to our country.