The Jefferson County sheriff's office is celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 11-17.
"We ask that you join us in a hearty 'Thank You' to honor these men and women in our area for the work that they do every day to protect the citizens of Jefferson County," Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. said in a news release. "We want them to know that what they do for our community is noticed.
"Across the nation in times of intense personal crisis and community-wide disasters, the first access point for those seeking all classes of emergency services is 9-1-1. In Jefferson County, the Metropolitan Communications Association (MECA) is the center that receives these calls," Woods said.
Sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International, the week honors the thousands of people who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render lifesaving assistance to citizens.
"They have emerged as the first vital point of contact for persons seeking immediate relief during an emergency. They are the ones behind the scenes that field tens of thousands of emergency calls annually. They are the ones who provide valuable, lifesaving, information to the sheriff's deputies, police officers, firefighters, and medical responders," he said.