HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-07-2015 - 4dORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 7, 2015
Action Agenda
Item No. 4 -d
SUBJECT: Public Safety Telecom municators Week
1
DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proclamation
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dinah L. Jeffries, 245 -6100
James Groves, 245 -6100
PURPOSE: To proclaim the week of April 12 through 18, 2015 as Public Safety
Telecom municators Week in Orange County.
BACKGROUND: Every year across the nation, the second full week of April is dedicated to the
professional women and men who serve as public safety telecommunicators. First conceived
by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (California) Sheriffs Office in 1981, this
practice was recognized by Representative Edward J. Markey (D- Massachusetts) in what
became House Joint Resolution 284 to create "National Public Safety Telecom municators
Week" which became Public Law No. 102 -264 on March 26, 1992.
Each day hundreds of Orange County residents and those passing through rely on the
expertise and dedication of County Telecom municators. These professionals help save
countless lives by responding to emergency calls, dispatching law enforcement, fire and
emergency medical personnel and equipment and providing support to the residents and
visitors of the County. Their skills in making critical decisions during high - pressure situations
enable a rapid emergency response, while providing excellent customer service to those in
need.
Orange County Communications is the primary public safety answering point (PSAP) for all
emergency and non - emergency service calls in the County. In 2014 Orange County
Communications answered 80,489 9 -1 -1 calls and dispatched over 180,000 calls for service.
Orange County's Telecom municators continue to strive for excellence in their performance and
are among the highest trained in the state. They provide an invaluable service to the residents,
visitors and to the public safety providers across the County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the Proclamation
and authorize the Chair to sign it.
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK
April 12-18,2015
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, The Orange County 9 -1 -1 Center serves the residents, workers and visitors
in Orange County by answering emergency calls for law enforcement, fire, emergency
medical services, and other requests for service and efficiently dispatch the most
appropriate assistance for those calls; and
WHEREAS, Our Telecommunicators are the "first" first responders that provide
assistance to those residents, workers and visitors; and
WHEREAS, The critical functions performed by our professional Telecommunicators
support many aspects of government services, including: Town Public Works, Public
Transit, Protective Services, Animal Services, and other operations; and
WHEREAS, Our professional Telecommunicators continuously work to improve Orange
County's emergency response capabilities through their leadership and participation in
training programs provided by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials
(APCO) and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA); and
WHEREAS, Our professional Telecommunicators serve the public and emergency
responders in countless ways, often without due recognition by the beneficiaries of their
services;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, do hereby
proclaim the week of April 12 -18, 2015 as "Public Safety Telecommunicators Week" in
Orange County, North Carolina in honor and recognition of our Telecommunicators and
the vital contributions they make to the safety and well being of our residents, workers,
visitors, and public safety partners.
Adopted this 7th day of April 2015.
Earl McKee, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners