SNOCOM recognizing employees on front line of emergency communications

SNOCOM 911 LogoSNOCOM 911, South Snohomish County’s emergency and public safety communication center, is recognizing two designations during the month of April, 911 Education Month and National Telecommunications’ Week April 13-19.

According to a SNOCOM announcement, 911 Education Month is designed to help spread the word about the use and role of 911 in the public safety arena. SNOCOM officials are sharing these tips in the event you need to call 911 for a police, fire or medical response:
– Know your location — SNOCOM operators need your help so that emergency services can be sent to the location that are needed.
– Voice is the Choice — Every day there are media reports of 911 centers beginning to accept text messages to 911, but presently SNOCOM and all other emergency telecommunication centers in Washington state do not have the capability to accept text messages.
– Provide the 911 call taker with answers to the questions asked. Some questions may include: what is happening, when did it happen, who is involved. Call takers are trained to gather information to best prepare police or firefighters who will be responding.

National Communications Week April 13-19 is dedicated to recognizing the work and commitment of the communication call takers who answer more than 200 million 911 calls nationwide each year. Call takers work rotating schedules in order to provide 911 service 24 hours each day, 365 days a year, and are the front line of the public safety response to emergencies.

SNOCOM will celebrate the National Communications’ Week by honoring its employees, and focusing on their health and wellness to help ease the stress of a difficult job. A 5K Fun Run/Walk will be one of the events for SNOCOM employees during the week.

SNOCOM is one of two regional communications centers in Snohomish County, providing safety communications to seven municipalities — Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Woodway, Mill Creek and Mukilteo — and Snohomish County Fire District 1. In 2013, SNOCOM handled 111,350 calls within its 80 square-mile service area in South Snohomish County.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.

By commenting here you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read our code at the bottom of this page before commenting.