FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12-18 is set aside in Springfield and across the nation as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week to recognize the outstanding service of 911 dispatchers. The Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications department will honor 911 employees with several activities, including the official proclamation, signed by Mayor Bob Stephens and City Manager Greg Burris, as well as Greene County Administrator Chris Coulter and the Greene County commissioners. “I am very proud of our 911 staff that answers hundreds of calls every day. When residents dial 911, the ‘first’ first responder they hear on the other end of the line is their link to the help they need,” says Director Zim Schwartze. “We receive thousands of calls in our county each year and are able to help our citizens through a variety of emergency situations. Springfield and Greene County are very fortunate to have such highly trained and committed staff in our Operations Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications received nearly 247,000 911 emergency calls in 2014, with 79 percent of these calls from a wireless device. In addition, they handled over 490,000 total phone interactions in the Operations Room of the 911 dispatch center. The 911 staff dispatches for nine law enforcement agencies and 14 fire agencies. In addition, Springfield-Greene County telecommunicators receive the initial 911 call for medical assistance that is transferred to CoxHealth or Mercy emergency medical services (EMS) for dispatch. Schwartze reminds citizens to contact 911 when they need police, fire and/or emergency ambulance service response. More about 911
The Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications Center staff are located in the Springfield-Greene County Public Safety Center. Nearly 29 percent of Springfield-Greene County’s 911 workforce has been with the department 10 years or more, with 16 percent having been with the department for 20 years. Springfield-Greene County 911 telecommunicators must undergo approximately 700 hours of training before they can be considered a fully trained operator and dispatcher for their department. # # # For more information about 911 tours, and presentations, please contact Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications Director Zim Schwartze at 417-829-6209 or [email protected]