This is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week - PGFD Says "Thank You"

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

mebrady@co.pg.md.us     @PGFDPIO

This week, April 12th to the 18th, is National Public Safety Telecommunications week and during this week, the Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department will be recognizing the diligence and professionalism of our Telecommunicators – 911 call takers, dispatcher and supervisors, who serve in our Public Safety Communications (PSC). We would like to encourage others to recognize them as well.

Our dispatchers are the first ones to get emergency calls and what they do with those calls can often greatly influence the outcome of the event in question. The pressure and stress of the job is high, and the hard work they do every day deserves thanks from all of us.  They serve as the vital link between our residents and our first responders.  

Firefighters and Medics work with dispatch personnel on every call we respond to either by phone, radio or by computer aided dispatch.  

Prince George's County Public Safety Communications is an internationally accredited 9-1-1 Center and personnel are recognized for their professionalism, commitment to public safety, leadership and innovation. They are a public safety agency staffed with 203 civilian personnel working together as 9-1-1 call takers, law enforcement and fire/EMS dispatchers, trainers, supervisors, FOIA/MPIA processors, career development coordinators, administrators, managers, technical staff and radio communication specialists. 

Prince George’s County Public Safety Communications is one of the agencies within the Office of Homeland Security. Homeland Security consists of Public Safety Communications and the Office of Emergency Management. Both entities are critical to the safety of the citizens of Prince George’s County.

The Fire/EMS Department and Public Safety Communications developed an awareness program whereas Department Incident Commanders spend time sitting with PSC personnel and observe their operations.  Read about the program and find out what field personnel think about the program.

As our firefighters and medics go about their day think about the person on the other end of the phone, radio or CAD.  Consider what they go through dealing with the stresses of handling nearly 400 incidents per day and over 142,000 per year.  Take the time to say thank you, we appreciate you and we need you.