The City of Yakima is celebrating the second full week of April (April 10-16) as National Telecommunicators Week. It honors the men and women who are the critical first step in the public safety system. They are the ones who answer 9-1-1 emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to the first responders and the community.
SunComm is the 9-1-1 and dispatch center serving the City and County of Yakima. SunComm staff handled more than 28,000 9-1-1 calls in the first three months of 2022 alone.
During its meeting on Tuesday, April 5th, the Yakima City Council issued a proclamation recognizing National Telecommunicators Week. The proclamation, signed by Mayor Janice Deccio, reads in part:
“WHEREAS, emergency call-takers and dispatchers of SunComm have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals, suppression of fires, and treatment of patients; and WHEREAS, each emergency call-taker and dispatcher has exhibited compassion, understanding, professionalism, and displayed untiring efforts during their assigned shifts in the past year; NOW THEREFORE, I, Janice Deccio, Mayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the Yakima City Council, do hereby proclaim the week of April 10-16, 2022 as ‘NATIONAL TELE COMMUNICATORS WEEK’ in the City of Yakima, in honor of the men and women whose diligence and professionalism keep our City and citizens safe.”
In recognition of National Telecommunicators Week, The City of Yakima Community Relations Office has produced a special episode of “Y-PAC Check-ins” featuring an interview with SunComm Public Safety Communications Manager Erica McNamara.
- The program is available on the City’s YouTube channel at (1) Y PAC Check-ins Erica McNamara – Suncomm 911 Communications Center. – YouTube
- It will also air on Y-PAC, Charter Spectrum Channel 194, beginning at 5:00 pm today, Friday, April 8th.
National Telecommunicators Week will also be highlighted next week on City and SunComm social media platforms.
Click Suncomm – 911 Communications (yakima911.org) for more about SunComm.
National Telecommunicators Week is sponsored annually by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International. Click www.npstw.org for more about the week-long observance.