CAPCOG commenced its recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) with a proclamation honoring the work 9-1-1 telecommunicators perform. It also distributed gifts of gratitude to the more than 600 first, first responders that work in the region.
NPSTW, April 12 to 18, 2026, highlights the essential role emergency telecommunicators take on for their communities. Their importance is echoed in this year’s theme for the week: Mission Possible — Every Call Counts.
“While the public sees flashing lights and first responders arriving on scene, what they don’t see is the calm, steady presence that begins every emergency — the telecommunicator,” said Jenna Barrington, CAPCOG’s Emergency Communications assistant director of policy and administration. “They begin lifesaving instructions before a unit ever arrives. They coordinate police, fire, and EMS resources across multiple jurisdictions. They manage chaos with precision, empathy, and extraordinary emotional control, often moving from one crisis to the next without a break to process what they’ve heard.”
Emergency telecommunicators are highly trained professionals who answer emergency calls, gather critical information, provide life-saving instructions, and dispatch responders during some of the most stressful moments in a person’s life. CAPCOG supports multiple public safety answering points (PSAPs) in the 10-county region, where telecommunicators handle thousands of emergency and non-emergency calls each year. Their work requires specialized training, quick decision-making, and the ability to remain composed during high-stress situations.
“Every call to 9-1-1 represents someone experiencing a crisis,” said Pamela Frisk, CAPCOG’s 9-1-1 training and public education manager. “Our telecommunicators are the calm voice ensuring help gets where it is needed as quickly as possible.”
NPSTW was first established in 1981 and is observed annually during the second full week of April. It is often recognized on the state and national level. Throughout the week, CAPCOG and local governments will celebrate telecommunicators through appreciation events and community awareness efforts highlighting how they protect their communities.
“Behind every siren is a telecommunicator who helped make that response possible,” Frisk said. “They are truly the first of the first responders.”
