To the Editor:

April 14 to April 20, 2024, is National Telecommunicator Week. It honors Public Safety Telecommunicators (PSTs, a/k/a dispatchers). There are approximately 90,000 PSTs in the United States who answer more than 240 million calls to 9-1-1 each year. Here in Connecticut, there are 107 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP), employing approximately 1,070 PSTs. We are nine (9) strong, with four (4) Per-Diems as your PSAP in Newtown.

The PSTs have state certification and are continually honing their skills through in-person and online training. They work 8-hour shifts, days — evenings and midnights on weekends — holidays and storms. They are that voice you hear when you are in trouble and looking for police, firefighters and/or an ambulance. They are the ones who will calm a child who is calling if someone in their home is sick. They give pre-arrival instructions to those whose loved ones have stopped breathing or are having a heart attack. They are the ones who help you when you get lost in the park, if you have been involved in an accident, or if you smell smoke in your home.

They are the lifelines between the police, fire, EMTs, and paramedics, guiding them to where they need to be and ensuring their safe return home each night. They are the voices in the night, faceless heroes who make a difference daily. They are the ones who, with their actions, change lives for the better, and I see them every day when they are sad or unhappy over a call or when a life has been changed for the better.

You do not hear too often a young person say, “When I grow up, I want to be a dispatcher,” but I strive to change that. These men and women are the best, and I stand beside them daily. They are the unsung heroes of Public Safety, often unrecognized but as vital as the men and women who respond to your homes. We are working right now to have all Public Safety Telecommunicators recognized as First Responders, and we will continue that work until they are.

So, if you get a chance, stop at 191 South Main Street, go to the Communications window, and say hello to the staff (pick up the phone on the right of the window). As their Director, I am proud of the job they do every day, and we are all proud to serve you.

Sincerely,

Maureen Will

Communications Director

Newtown Emergency Communications

Newtown