Celebrating our Heroes in Headsets
Celebrating our Heroes in Headsets
When you call 9-1-1 in Durham Region the first thing you will hear is: “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. Our dispatchers handle all calls for police.
They are the first, first responder. 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 704 9-1-1 calls per day. In 2023, they handled 256,983 9-1-1 calls, and 332,421 non-emergency calls. That means on average, the communicators in our 9-1-1 call centre handle more than 1,600 calls every day.
“The DRPS Communications 9-1-1 team members are the lifeline for our community and our officers. They are the unsung heroes of our organization, the calm voice in the chaos. They are our heroes in headsets, an extremely selfless and dedicated team who consistently demonstrate their professionalism and commitment to public safety. I am humbled and inspired by the work they do everyday. We all collectively owe them a great deal of appreciation and gratitude, ” 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.
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.