The second week in April has been federally designated as National 911 Telecommunicator week.

This week is meant to draw attention to the work of dispatchers and other personnel who work in the 911 center who are heard, but rarely seen.

Diana Stiles, Bureau County 911 director, said she cannot think of a more deserving group of people than the 911 dispatchers who answer the calls for help, that happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

“It’s more than just handling calls. Our staff are never sure what incidents they’ll have to handle on a day-to-day basis, and that means they need to be prepared for anything, and not everyone is cut out for the job. I think you have to be a special kind of person to do this job. Not just anybody can do it,” she said. “You have to care about your job; you have to want to be here. It’s not like you’re working for an answering service where you just field calls. You have to have the passion to work in the field; it’s a job that’s demanding on one’s time too. When someone calls you at two in the morning, it’s not to have a conversation with you, it’s because they need you. I have a wonderful staff here, and I appreciate each and every one of them.”

Stiles explained individual agencies have their own way of celebrating this week; for the staff at BuEComm they are having a simple meal together and will each be given a small token of appreciation.

“What we do doesn’t have to be grand, just something that shows each and every day we are thankful to all of them for the great job that they do,” she said. “If you know a dispatcher, take a moment and say thank you to them for the behind the scene things that they do. Without them, getting an ambulance, fire truck or police officer would not be near as simple as it seems. I know how tough their job really is, and so today and every day, I say thank you and Happy Telecommunicators Week.”