Celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - Every year during the second full week of April, we celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, where we honor and thank our 911 dispatchers.

The Marquette County Central Dispatch is located in Negaunee township and the 15 employees there handle 911 calls for the county and other areas. They work 12-hour shifts and have continuing education for their careers.

“Everything starts with 911 and usually they’re the unsung heroes behind the scenes that most people don’t realize, they call 911 and they never get to interact physically with them or see them so this is a way to honor them for everything that they do,” said Gerald Hebert, Marquette County Central Dispatch Manager.

Hebert also said the technology of central dispatch has been improving in recent years to include 911 texting and better cell phone pinging.