Dispatchers are COOL!

FERRIS – “Dispatchers are COOL,” is a brief statement from Ferris Police Chief Eddie Salazar, and he couldn’t be more correct in his summation.

The City of Ferris employs four full-time dispatchers and two part-time.

Last week, April 14 to 20 was National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Salazar points out, “Dispatchers are vital to law enforcement,

“They are the life line for officers on the street who could not function effectively without dispatchers,

“Dispatcher week is a way for us to show our appreciation to the Ferris Police Department Dispatchers.”

When a resident in any city calls for help the dispatcher/telecommunicator is the vital first link between citizens with emergencies and the help they require.

In smaller departments, like in Ferris, dispatchers also multi-task answering all 911 and non-emergency calls for both the Police and Fire Departments, assist citizens and visitors who walk into the Police Department for help and coordinate with Care Flight ambulance service and surrounding city and county agencies to provide emergency response within the city limits and beyond.

In Wilmer, Police Chief Victor Kemp said, “Dispatchers continue to be the voice of calm throughout anything from a simple request for information to a person in tremendous distress,

“These professionals are required by the State of Texas to train and receive continuing education every training cycle in order to maintain their required Telecommunicators License and the citizens of Wilmer are blessed to have the best.”

The Wilmer Police Department Telecommunicators also received Certificates of Appreciation and new Wilmer Police Communications badges this year with their individual badge numbers.