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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: April 5, 2016 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-c <br /> SUBJECT: Public Safety Telecommunications Week <br /> DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Kevin Medlin, 919-245-6100 <br /> Proclamation Dinah Jeffries, 919-245-6100 <br /> PURPOSE: To proclaim the week of April 10 through 16, 2016 as Public Safety <br /> Telecommunications Week in Orange County. <br /> BACKGROUND: Every year across the nation, the second full week of April is dedicated to the <br /> professional women and men who serve as public safety telecommunicators. First conceived <br /> by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (Calif.) Sheriff's Office in 1981, this practice <br /> was recognized by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) in what became H.J. Res. 284 to create <br /> "National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week". With the continued efforts of the <br /> International Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and the National <br /> Emergency Number Association, the act to recognize public safety telecommunicators became <br /> a permanent proclamation in 1994. <br /> Each day hundreds of Orange County residents and those passing through rely on the <br /> expertise and dedication of public safety telecommunicators. These professionals help save <br /> countless lives by responding to emergency calls, dispatching law enforcement, fire and <br /> emergency medical personnel and equipment and providing support to the residents and <br /> visitors of this county. Their skills in high-pressure situations allow rapid emergency response, <br /> aid and compassion in times of great distress and critical decision-making within seconds. <br /> Orange County Communications is the primary answering point for all emergency and non- <br /> emergency service calls in the county. In 2015 NC PSAP's (Public Safety Answering Points) <br /> answered 7.7 million 9-1-1 calls. Orange County 9-1-1 Telecommunicators answered 82,186 9- <br /> 1-1 calls and handled 131,697 administrative calls. The telecommunicators dispatched over <br /> 180,000 calls for service with an average of 5 telecommunicators on duty. The communications <br /> center operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with a staff of twenty-six full time <br /> telecommunicators, and one part-time telecommunicator. <br />