BES marks public safety telecommunications week

“The men and woman we have working in the E-911 Center in Barrow County are all very dedicated and caring professionals,” said E-911 manager Kathy Wallace. “It is an honor for me to work with such wonderful people. This county is very fortunate to have such a great group of communication officers working here.”

Trained to deal with emergency situations requiring an immediate and professional response, communications officers ensure that law enforcement, firefighters or emergency medical technicians are dispatched to assist citizens as needed. Communications officers are also trained to help citizens control an emergency situation until public safety personnel arrive.

Through training and experience, communication officers help calm 911 callers, gather critical information and relay this information to responding personnel. They also monitor the public safety responders as they respond to the scene as well as when they arrive on scene.

The men and woman who work as communications officers must deal with the pain, fear and anguish of 911 callers while gathering information from them. Communications officers deal with considerable emotional stress as they dispatch calls, provide updates and monitor responders.

Communication officers are often the unseen part of the life and property saving responses of public safety.

“These unsung heroes play a critical role in the safety and security of this community,” Wallace said. “I want to thank all the Communication Officers with Barrow County E 911. They do a superior job every day in working with the citizens and the other public safety personnel in Barrow. During the week of April 11-17 let’s all keep the Communication Officers in our thoughts and prayers and be thankful for the job they do.”