2023/04/11 - Mayor's Column: Telecommunicators Week
“AN OPEN DOOR TO O’FALLON”
A WEEKLY NOTE FROM MAYOR HERB ROACH
This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This annual event is set up to honor the Public Safety Telecommunicators for their commitment, service and sacrifices. When you call 911, these “first of the first responders” are the brave voices on the other end of line.
You may not realize the importance of this role until you sit and listen how they handle very difficult and sometime tragic calls, as I have. Several times I have sat and listened to the way these men and women respond to calls that come into them.
It is not just answering a phone, but it is talking with an individual that has just been in an accident or has just observed a horrifying event. The telecommunicator must try to calm the person down, gather the necessary information needed from the caller to then be able to dispatch the proper assistance that is needed whether that be EMS, Police, Fire or multiple units. All of this has to be done as thoroughly and quickly as possible.
O’Fallon Telecommunicators handle calls not just for O’Fallon but also for Fairview Heights and for Shiloh. Last year, our staff handled over 94,000 calls for assistance and then dispatched the appropriate services needed. Of those 94,000 calls, over 25,000 were 911 calls.
This staff of 13 full-time and 9 part-time telecommunicators, who under the supervision of Daryl Ostendorf, are also constantly going through hours of training so that they are prepared for any situation to help you. This includes training on such things as active shooter, crisis communications, suicide intervention and much more.
I’m personally very proud of this group for what they do and how they go about it day after day. They are some of our city’s unsung heroes.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open.