Douglas County, CO – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce that the Douglas County Board of Commissioners adopted a proclamation to reclassify Douglas County regional emergency dispatchers as first responders. This decision recognizes the hard work and dedication of these individuals and acknowledges their invaluable contribution to public safety.
Dispatchers are often the first point of contact for individuals in distress or facing emergencies. They work tirelessly to gather critical information, assess the situation, and dispatch appropriate resources to the scene. Their ability to remain calm under pressure, make split-second decisions, and provide life-saving instructions over the phone is instrumental in protecting and saving lives.
The Douglas County Regional Dispatch Center serves as the central hub for emergency communications in Douglas County, handling 911 calls, dispatching emergency responders, and coordinating resources for 15 agencies. The reclassification of dispatchers as first responders is a well-deserved recognition of their tireless efforts and unwavering dedication to public safety.
“Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service providers heroes too. Those heroes are called dispatchers. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and our Regional Communication Center have some of the best in the business,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly. “Our dispatchers provide a vital service to our community and deserve to be recognized as first responders. We are committed to supporting our dispatchers in any way we can. We want them to know how much we value their hard work and dedication.”
“I’m so proud of our emergency dispatchers who are finally getting the recognition they deserve! This reclassification from clerical to first responder recognizes that emergency dispatchers are an integral part of emergency services, and they truly do make a critical difference every day for citizens and responders, using only a telephone, radio and the specialized skills, equipment and training they’ve received,” said Grace Reinis, Douglas County Regional 9-1-1 Communications Manager.
Douglas County Regional 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers are highly trained professionals that each year handle approximately 300,000 telephone calls, including 90,000 emergency 9-1-1 calls from citizens in need of law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. They are trained to offer a variety of life-saving measures, including CPR, bleeding control, choking, child birth, airway management, and crisis de-escalation by telephone until EMS or law enforcement arrives on scene.
