Lowndes County honors dispatchers during Public Safety Telecommunications Week

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – They are committed 24/7, 365 days a year, working with various agencies in the area to help keep everyone safe and get them help in an emergency.

This week is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, and Lowndes County leaders recognized 911 dispatchers at the Emergency Services office on April 15.

The Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation to the hidden heroes.

Dispatchers say they often answer 100 or more calls a day, connecting the community to the right agency in emergencies.

Emergency Management Director Cindy Lawrence says dispatchers are the brain of the community – getting the information to responders

Dispatcher Latonya Malone says the calls can be tough, and the job comes with various challenges, but it is also fulfilling.

“People call for help,” Malone said. “They call for ambulances, the fire department, the police department, and we get them the help that they need. A lot of times, people don’t understand when they call 911 what it entails. They watch a lot of television, but it’s real. We get them help, we do CPR, we get pre-arrivals done, and were just here to help the community.”

“I want people to know that the dispatchers here are dedicated, their commitment, they are committed to their jobs, they are ready to assist the community in any way they can. When you call, and they ask you for your name and your number, they are not being nosy,” Lawrence said. “They are just trying to get the information so they can get it to the emergency response agancy quick and fast so they can get a response to your home or business.”

Malone says her advice to other dispatchers is to be kind and understanding of the person who is calling in.

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week lasts from April 12 -18.