Saving a life in an emergency starts with a phone call or a text. In 2020, legislation was passed requiring all Tennessee emergency call takers and dispatchers to receive telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (“T-CPR”) training and offer it when necessary.
When a crisis occurs, calling 9-1-1 for assistance is crucial. That’s why 9-1-1 call centers need to be dependable and prepared for circumstances that might interrupt their data connections. For the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, that means ensuring the state’s 118 primary public safety answering points (PSAPs) or 9-1-1 call centers have backups in place in the event their primary fiber connections are disrupted for any reason.
I am proud Governor Bill Lee has proclaimed this week as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in honor of all the selfless work our state’s 911 operators do every day to keep our first responders and citizens safe. If you ask the men and women who answer millions of 911 calls each year about their remarkable work, they will probably tell you they are just doing their job. However, the truth is they are helping to save many lives throughout our communities. With all the emergencies Tennessee has faced over the past year, from natural disasters to a global pandemic, I encourage Tennesseans to use this time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public. Our 911 telecommunicators are always there to answer the call and to provide service to their fellow citizens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.