The Perfect Time for 9-1-1 Education Month and Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Throughout April, public safety entities will celebrate 9-1-1 Education Month and National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW), April 10^th -16^th, 2022. For over 50 years, 9-1-1 has served as a vital component of emergency response, and telecommunicators (sometimes referred to as 9-1-1 call-takers or dispatchers) have helped save countless lives. They answer the calls for help day and night, handling the most challenging situations. 

9-1-1 educators will be out in the community sharing many important 9-1-1 education messages this month, such as Know Your Location; Call if You Can, Text if You Can’t; and Lock It in Your Pocket. They will also be educating businesses or other locations using multi-line telephone systems about Kari’s Law and providing direct access to 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Let’s review some of the critical messages now.

Know Your Location

It is imperative to practice awareness and know your location at all times. You never know when you might be in an emergency and will need to call 9-1-1 for help. One of the first questions a call-taker usually asks is, “What is the location of your emergency?”

The call-takers do not know your exact location when calling 9-1-1 from your cell phone. If you are in an emergency and do not know the address of your location, you can still provide the nearest mile markers, cross streets, and landmarks. Make sure to answer all the call-takers questions too.

Call if You Can, Text if You Can’t

Many 9-1-1 call centers now can accept text messages to 9-1-1. This message is a good reminder that it is always important to call 9-1-1 when in an emergency. Sometimes, placing a call may not be possible. If you have texting available on your cell phone, you can place a text to 9-1-1. Should the text not be able to be delivered, you will receive a message from your carrier with instructions to place a call to 9-1-1.   

Examples of when to use  Text-to-911:

·       You are deaf or hard of hearing

·       Your safety would be compromised if you were to speak out loud

For more information on Text-to-911, please visit the FCC website at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/what-you-need-know-about-text-911.

Lock It in Your Pocket

Cell phones can easily pocket dial anyone, including 9-1-1. To ensure you do not accidentally contact 9-1-1, always lock your cell phone before putting it away. You can help eliminate non-emergency calls from tying up the lines needed for actual emergencies when you “Lock It in Your Pocket.”

NPSTW History

NPSTW was created to recognize the significant contribution of 9-1-1 telecommunicators in ensuring the community has access to emergency services. This important week of recognition was started in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California. To read more on the back- story, please view this link: NPSTW History.

Take the time to thank our 9-1-1 telecommunicators for their critical and dedicated service. Below is Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Proclamation for NPSTW. If you ever find yourself in an emergency, please do not hesitate to contact 9-1-1 for help.