This week, the City of Carlsbad celebrates the first responders who help Carlsbad residents during times of personal crisis and community-wide disasters in honor of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Public safety telecommunicators, often referred to as dispatchers, serve as the first line of communication between residents who call 9-1-1 or the non-emergency line, and the police officers, firefighters and paramedics who respond. They answer life-threatening calls, dispatch public safety staff, and offer life-saving assistance to residents seeking immediate relief around the clock.
The Police Department’s in-house dispatchers answer around 110,000 phone calls each year, including more than 35,000 9-1-1 emergency calls. Of those 9-1-1 calls, staff answers 98.8% within 15 seconds, exceeding the statewide 911 answering mandate of 95%. The Carlsbad Fire Department partners with the North County Dispatch Joint Powers Authority’s centralized communications center for fire and medical emergency dispatch support.
Many thanks to the dispatch teams which consistently show level-headedness, skill and dedication to keep Carlsbad residents, businesses and visitors safe 24/7.
How to help Carlsbad’s public safety telecommunicators
If you ever need to call 9-1-1, follow these steps to make dispatchers’ jobs easier and help first responders quickly find you.
- Know your address, help your kids memorize it, too.
- Look around you for any street signs, landmarks or other location points.
- Stay on the phone and follow the dispatcher's advice.
- Be honest, and provide accurate medical history and an assessment of the situation.
- Before a crisis hits, make sure your house number is clearly marked so first responders can locate you.
