Newtown Emergency Communications Director Maureen Will, who serves as the boss of Newtown’s emergency dispatch team, issued a message to the community on the occasion of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

“Every year, the second week in April has been set aside to honor Public Safety Telecommunicators (PSTs) also known as dispatchers,” Will explained. “These men and women are the ‘voices in the dark’ — called that because you do not see them, you only hear their calm and reassuring voices on the phone.

Will said members of her team and colleagues across the state and nation “meet” you when you are in crisis — a fire, medical emergency, accident, or when bad things happen — “shootings, plane crashes, or events that you just do not know what to do, you can always call 9-1-1 and someone will answer and will be ready with an answer.

“Here in Newtown, you have nine full-time dispatchers, five per diem PSTs who work full-time at other agencies, and the Director of Communications who also maintains a state-required certification,” Will continued. “These men and women normally work eight hours on shift but can and have worked up to sixteen hours in a day to maintain full coverage at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center or ECC.”

She reminded community members that her staff works weekends, holidays, days, evenings and through the night.

“We will work on our birthdays, anniversaries, during storms, and special events, that is the life we have chosen,” Will said. “Staff is constantly training, either online or in person when possible, to hone their skills. We belong to APCO International (Association of Public Safety Communications Officials) and NENA (National Emergency Number Association) organizations dedicated to 911 professionals,” she continued.

“We are wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, married, single — but most of all, dedicated to ensuring that our residents receive the proper resources when they call 9-1-1 and that our responders — police, fire, and emergency medical personnel — arrive safely and return home when the job is done.

“We will render life-saving assistance to our residents,” she said.

Sometimes public safety telecommunicators are regarded as the first of the first responders.

“Newtown’s ECC has been in its new home at 191 South Main Street since March 2021, and though residents cannot come into the Center itself, you can come into the lobby of the police department headquarters and see us at work,” Will said. “This week, the staff is enjoying a ‘dress down week’ where they are not required to wear their uniforms; however, they are encouraged to wear their finest 911 apparel.”

Will’s team also enjoyed a visit from the on-duty EMS crew this week who dropped off some goodies for the staff to share.

“Like our residents, the responders only hear our voices, guiding them to the emergency,” she said. “Being able to put a face to the voice makes it all-important to staff.”

According to NENA, there are more than 6,100 emergency call centers in the United States, handling more than 200 million 911 calls every year. There are about 100,000 Public Safety Dispatchers working throughout the country, with 10,000 being hired every year.

Will closed her pride-filled dispatch message reminding residents that Newtown’s ECC handled 7,857 calls to 9-1-1 in 2022, and encourages everyone to visit her department’s page on the Town of Newtown website: Newtown-ct.gov/emergency-communications-center — to find more information and helpful tips.

Reach Editor John Voket at john@thebee.com