JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During the second full week of April, 911 professionals are celebrated for National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week, recognizing the people who pick up the phone when someone needs help.
First Coast News was able to visit the St. Johns County dispatch center for the occasion. Employees such as Zachary Polen, a dispatcher since August, expressed how he loves his job. He talked about "answering the call to answer the call."
"It's (his job) very fulfilling," Polen said. "Being that bridge between our citizens and our law enforcement community."
Regardless of how big or small the emergency is, to Polen, every call counts and is a responsibility he believes is worth taking head on. Polen recalled how there are moments at his job when he experiences a rush of phone calls because something dire is happening. He described the feeling similar to an adrenaline rush.
In 2023, the St. Johns County Telecommunications team answered a total of 305,127 calls. On average, according to authorities, that is 838 calls a day. Polen knows his work with the telecommunications team is appreciated amongst his peers, and the nationally recognized week reinforces it.
"You don't see the telecommunicators, we're all in one building," Polen said. "In reality, we are the first responders. We're the first ones you talk to whether you're calling 911 or our non-emergency line."
NPSTW initially started in 1981. In 1994, President Bill Clinton sighed presidential proclamation 6667, declaring the second week of April as NPSTW.