Celebrating our 9-1-1 Communicators

“Do you require police, fire or ambulance?”

That calm voice on the other end of the line is a Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) 9-1-1 communicator.  9-1-1 communicators are responsible for answering all 9-1-1 calls as the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PPSAP) for Durham Region, transferring callers to ambulance or fire when required.

They are the first of the first responders.  Often referred to as ‘the most important person you will never meet,’ they are highly trained to calmly and effectively gather information and assess emergency situations and get callers the help they need.

DRPS 9-1-1 communicators respond to an average of 655 9-1-1 calls per day.  In 2022, they handled over 239,212 9-1-1 calls, and 360,442 non-emergency calls.

“The DRPS Communications 9-1-1 team members are the lifeline of the community, and the first point of contact for all of the emergency services in the Region of Durham. They are our heroes in headsets, an extremely selfless and dedicated team who consistently demonstrate their professionalism and commitment to public safety. We all collectively owe them a great deal of appreciation and gratitude for all that they do each and every day to ensure the safety of the community and our first responders, ” says DRPS’ Communications / 911 Unit Inspector Gord O’Blenes. 

In addition to taking 9-1-1 calls, 9-1-1 communicators are responsible for prioritizing calls for service and dispatching police to emergency scenes, all the while maintaining officer and public safety. Dispatchers are the lifelines for officers across the region, providing the ever-changing information officers require to do their work and stay safe. While dispatching, communicators must analyze and provide timely and accurate information to officers and coordinate multiple units, including K9, Air support and other specialized officers.

This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and we would like to thank all public safety telecommunicators for everything they do to keep our communities and officers safe. You truly are heroes in headsets.

If you are interested in joining our exceptional group of telecommunicators, we are currently accepting applications. More information can be found on our website.

https://www.drps.ca/join-drps/civilian-members/