County to celebrate unsung heroes during National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week

During the week of April 13 through April 19, Deschutes County will be celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) to raise awareness of the invaluable work done by Deschutes 9-1-1, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Deschutes 9-1-1 team is a group of highly trained telecommunicators who calmly guide callers through emergencies, relaying vital information to law enforcement, firefighters, mental health professionals, and emergency medical teams, ensuring that help arrives when it's needed most.

“The County’s public safety telecommunicators are the unsung heroes in our community and an essential part of the emergency response system,” said Deschutes 9-1-1 Director Sara Crosswhite. “When someone calls 9-1-1, telecommunicators gather crucial information, dispatch the appropriate services and often times provide life-saving instructions while help is on the way.”

In 2024, Deschutes 9-1-1 answered 273,337 calls, which equates to nearly 750 calls a day. Of those, 66,369 were for emergency situations and 206,968 were for non-emergency situations. Deschutes 9-1-1 dispatchers assisted in the birth of three babies last year.

NPSTW has been an annual observance during the second week of April since 1981. Throughout the week, Deschutes 9-1-1 staff will participate in a variety of internal team building activities and events to honor the members of their team.  

As we observe NPSTW, the County encourages community members to express their gratitude and appreciation for the telecommunicators at Deschutes 9-1-1. Whether through writing a thank-you note or sharing a social media post, every gesture helps to show these dedicated professionals that their dedicated service does not go unnoticed.

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Media Contact:

Kim Katchur, Public Information Officer

(541) 322-7441