FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Traditionally, the second week of April is set aside nationally to honor those that provide the voice to our emergency services across our country. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, this year Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications will be honoring their telecommunicators July 12-18. We recognize the outstanding service of 9-1-1 telecommunicators during observance of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. The Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department will honor the employees with activities and events to highlight the week to include an official proclamation signed by Mayor Ken McClure, City Manager Jason Gage, the Commissioners of Greene County and Greene County Administrator Chris Coulter.
“This will be my first National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week as the director. Knowing what this meant to me as a dispatcher really inspires me to help make it as special as it can possibly be in my new role,” Director Kris Inman said. “Getting the chance to celebrate the best of us, our Telecommunicators, makes this week a true yearly highlight. I’m excited to place the spotlight right where it belongs – on the dispatch floor.”
“Our dispatch center and trained 9-1-1 telecommunicators answer 700-800 calls every day. When those in our community need us, they rely on the ‘first’ first responders on the other end of the phone line,” said Assistant Director J.R. Webb. “We receive over 267,000 9-1-1 calls in our county each year with a wide range of emergency situations. We are so very fortunate to have such highly trained and committed staff in our Operations Center, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I’m honored to be a part of the 9-1-1 profession, the Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Department, and the dedicated telecommunicators who serve our community every day."
Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications received over 267,000 9-1-1 emergency calls in 2019 with over 84 percent of these calls from a wireless device. These numbers continue to increase each year and the ‘text-to-911’ capability was formally implemented in 2018 for those rare cases when people are unable to communicate audibly via the telephone. They have received approximately 35 ‘text-to-911’ calls each month in the past year.
The 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department proudly dispatches for 13 fire agencies and nine law enforcement agencies who all work well together and provide excellent public safety response for our community.
The fire agencies include:
- Ash Grove Fire Protection District
- Battlefield Fire Protection District
- Bois D’Arc Fire Protection District
- Brookline Fire Protection District
- Ebenezer Fire Protection District
- Fair Grove Fire Protection District
- Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District
- Republic Fire Department
- Springfield Fire Department
- Strafford Fire Protection District
- Walnut Grove Fire Protection District
- West Republic Fire Protection District
- Willard Fire Protection District
The law enforcement agencies they serve include:
- Ash Grove Police Department
- Battlefield Police Department
- Fair Grove Police Department
- Greene County Sheriff’s Office
- Republic Police Department
- Springfield Police Department
- Strafford Police Department
- Walnut Grove Police Department
- Willard Police Department.
In addition, Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 receives the initial 9-1-1 calls for medical assistance that are transferred to CoxHealth or Mercy Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for dispatch.
“We enjoy an excellent working relationship with our area emergency medical dispatch teams and many other public safety partners in the southwest Missouri region,” said Webb.
“Our user agencies are such a key component to what we do, and our staff are dedicated to doing their part to keep them safe,” Inman said
Citizens are reminded to contact 9-1-1 when they need police, fire and/or emergency medical ambulance response.
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For more information about 9-1-1 and presentations, please contact: Director Kris Inman at 417-829-6208 or Assistant Director JR Webb at 417-829-6000 or [email protected]