PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK – Monmouth County Sheriff's Office

It’s the week to acknowledge public safety telecommunicators from the Monmouth County 9-1-1 Communications Center for a job well done, as part of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, held from April 11-17. “This is a great opportunity to say thank you to all the public safety telecommunicator’s continued efforts in maintaining public safety,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “These men and women play a critical role in saving lives, but quite often that goes unnoticed.”

In an effort to commemorate the week, Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry presented a certificate of commendation to Senior Public Safety Telecommunicator Kevin O’Brien of Freehold Township, and Public Safety Telecommunicator Melissa Donatelli of Union Beach, at the April 8th meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The Monmouth County 9-1-1 Communications Center, staffed with 66 public safety telecommunicators, provides a high level of 9-1-1 services to 44 municipalities, dispatches for 9 police departments, 31 fire departments and 24 first aid squads. “These dedicated men and women do an exemplary job serving the County 24 hours a day, seven days a week and deserve much credit for their dedication and commitment,” said Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry.

During the March Nor’easter, a total of 5,231 calls came into the Monmouth County Communications Center for a 24 hour period. A total of 2,586 were 9-1-1 calls. On average, the 9-1-1 Communications Center answers four to five hundred 9-1-1 calls per day. “Our public safety telecommunicators worked tirelessly during the Nor’easter. They not only deserve a great deal of acknowledgement for the exceptional job they did during the storm, but for their daily efforts in the field of emergency communications,” said Sheriff Golden.

In 1991, Congress proclaimed the second week in April as the nationally recognized week of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, recognizing the crucial role of public safety telecommunications personnel.