In honor of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which falls annually during the second full week of April, The Onset Fire Department and Wareham Fire District recognized their hard-working dispatchers and fire alarm operators.

In a statement, the Onset Fire Department explained that public safety telecommunicators are “the first calm voice you hear when you need it most. They answer the 911 calls, dispatch resources and provide guidance and support until resources arrive.”

The Wareham Fire District said telecommunicators are a key source of information for the department when personnel are in the field.

“They give us information, they get us resources we ask for and keep track of things during an incident,” reads a District Facebook post. “Our Dispatchers are our lifeline in the field.”

Dispatchers and fire alarm operators’ work is often behind the scenes and can go unnoticed. But during Telecommunicators Week, their contributions to public safety are celebrated.

The Onset Fire Department thanked Cheryl Evans and Catherine Giannelli.

“We are fortunate to have highly dedicated and trained Fire Alarm Operators working within the Onset community,” said Acting Fire Chief Jeffrey Osswald.

Similarly, Wareham Fire District thanked its dispatchers Lydia, Karen, Kenny and Mikayla in its Facebook post about Telecommunicators Week.