POUGHKEEPSIE- For more than two decades, the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response’s public safety dispatchers have answered thousands of emergency calls each year to assist residents in need 24 hours per day, seven days per week. This week, public safety dispatchers throughout the nation are being recognized for their service and dedication to the community during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, celebrated annually in the second week of April.
Dutchess County Emergency Response Commissioner Dana Smith said, “The men and women who serve Dutchess County as public safety dispatchers work tirelessly behind the scenes at the Department of Emergency Response 9-1-1 Call Center. In an emergency, seconds count and these call takers’ professionalism and compassion ensure first responders receive the vital information required to help residents in need quickly and effectively. I encourage everyone to join us in celebrating these individuals this week, and all year long, for their sacrifice and contributions to our community.”
From storm response emergencies to individual health crises, the 34 public safety dispatchers at the Dutchess County 9-1-1 Communications Center are responsible for receiving emergency and non-emergency telephone calls from the public and dispatching appropriate emergency services as quickly as possible. In 2022, the center answered 192,704 individual phone calls for assistance and dispatched 113,374 separate emergency incidents in Dutchess County.
To learn more about the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response, visit dutchessny.gov.
