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3 <br /> 1 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations <br /> 2 a. Public Safety Telecommunicators Week Proclamation <br /> 3 The Board approved a proclamation recognizing the week of April 9-15, 2023 as Public Safety <br /> 4 Telecommunicators Week in Orange County. <br /> 5 <br /> 6 BACKGROUND: Every year across the nation, the second full week of April is dedicated to the <br /> 7 professional women and men who serve as public safety telecommunicators. First conceived by <br /> 8 Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (California) Sheriff's Office in 1981, this practice <br /> 9 was recognized by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts) in what became House <br /> 10 Joint Resolution 284 to establish "National Public Safety Telecom municator Week". With the <br /> 11 continued efforts of the International Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and <br /> 12 the National Emergency Number Association, the act to recognize public safety <br /> 13 telecommunicators became a permanent proclamation in 1994. <br /> 14 <br /> 15 Each day hundreds of Orange County residents and those passing through rely on the expertise <br /> 16 and dedication of public safety telecommunicators. These professionals help save countless lives <br /> 17 by answering emergency calls, dispatching law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical <br /> 18 personnel and equipment, as well as providing support to the residents and visitors of this county. <br /> 19 Their skills in high-pressure situations assist in providing rapid emergency response, aid, and <br /> 20 compassion in times of great distress and critical decision-making within seconds. <br /> 21 <br /> 22 Orange County Communications is the primary answering point for all emergency and non- <br /> 23 emergency service calls in the County. In 2022 NC Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) <br /> 24 answered 7.5 million 9-1-1 calls. Orange County 9-1-1 telecommunicators answered 84,314 9- <br /> 25 1-1 calls and handled over 107,000 administrative calls. The telecommunicators dispatched over <br /> 26 180,000 calls for service with an average of five telecommunicators on duty. The communications <br /> 27 center operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year, <br /> 28 with a staff of twenty-eight full-time telecommunicators. <br /> 29 <br /> 30 Orange County's telecommunicators continue to strive for excellence in their performance and <br /> 31 are among the most highly trained in the state. <br /> 32 <br /> 33 Orange County's telecommunicators provide a valuable service to residents, visitors, and public <br /> 34 safety providers. <br /> 35 <br /> 36 Laurie Piche, Communications Coordinator for 911 Communications, introduced the <br /> 37 proclamation. She said that in 2022, telecommunicators answered more than 195,000 calls, 90% <br /> 38 of which were answered within ten seconds, which is the North Carolina 9-1-1 Board standard. <br /> 39 She said they dispatched and monitored 92,700 calls for service. She said they provided CPR <br /> 40 instructions for 266 cardiac arrest victims, and assisted in the successful delivery of three babies. <br /> 41 She thanked the Board for the proclamation and invited them to visit the 9-1-1 operations center. <br /> 42 Commissioner Portie-Ascott read the proclamation: <br /> 43 <br /> 44 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 45 PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK <br /> 46 2023 <br /> 47 PROCLAMATION <br /> 48 <br /> 49 WHEREAS, emergencies can occur at any time that requires police, fire, or emergency medical <br /> 50 services; and <br />