Local emergency dispathcers recognized for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

When you call 9-1-1, the first line of communication is your local dispatcher.

Dispatchers are being recognized as part national public safety telecommunicators week and we got an inside look to a job where one phone call can depend on a person’s life.

“It can definitely be a difficult job at times especially when you know you get those certain calls,” said Maggie Sheffield, Emergency Dispatch with El Centro Police Department.

Sheffield says dealing with calls involving kids is the toughest part of her job and multitasking is must.

“When we get the in progress calls or the critical calls that’s when you know the rush and the adrenaline rush and all of that happens and it’s an awesome feeling to know that we are helping the community,” added Sheffield.

“Their role is definitely, it’s one that goes in my opinion unappreciated because there is so much to take on from the public, answering phones, to communicating with us that are, that may have potentially a life-threatening situation on our hands,” said Jesus Viesca, El Centro Police Officer.

The El Centro Police Department has eight dispatchers who are all being honored this week.

And dispatchers tell us it’s nice to be noticed and to be able to put a face to the voice.

“People don’t see us, they don’t know, they just hear us so they may never see are faces. I think it’s an important thing, not only are we like i said the voice behind the badge but we are also that life line, we are the ears and the eyes of all the field units for police, fire and medical,” explained Sheffield.

“It’s an absolute vital role within public safety, without dispatchers we would have no method of obtaining information from the public,” said Viesca.

“It’s awesome to know that we are recognized you know and that we take the week out of the year to recognize those that are in public safety, all the men and women across the nation,”

On Wednesday the El Centro Police Department will be honoring local dispatchers by holding a luncheon. For more information you can head to http://www.npstw.org/category/celebrating-npstw/ or https://www.facebook.com/ElCentroPoliceDepartment/.