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LANSING – The State 911 Committee (SNC) is recognizing Michigan telecommunicators and their vital contributions to public safety during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 12-18. In Michigan, the SNC is privileged to honor those who serve in this important role in our state.

“National Telecommunicators Week is our opportunity to shine a light on the unseen heroes of public safety,” stated Ms. Amy Magirl, State 911 Administrator. “Every day, telecommunicators are the first to respond, long before help arrives on scene. They are problem-solvers, calm voices, and the critical link between those in need and those who can help. Their work demands quick thinking, empathy, and resilience, and they deliver without hesitation. This week, and every week, we recognize their professionalism and thank them for the vital role they play in saving lives and protecting communities.”

In Michigan, 911 centers serve as the primary point for dispatching police, fire, and EMS responses. In addition to answering and dispatching emergency calls, telecommunicators also provide pre-arrival instructions for police, fire and medical calls, activate weather alerts, coordinate additional incident scene response such as medical examiners, child protective services, hospitals, road commission, utility and public works department notifications, callouts for specialized response teams such as search and rescue, SWAT, negotiating teams, and hazmat response teams.

Telecommunicators receive calls through many different 911 dialing systems including wireless, land-line telephones, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), smart devices, and text messag