DRAFFENVILLE – According to numbers compiled from the Department Justice’s Bureau of Statistics, there are approximately 200,000 public safety dispatchers in the United States and upward of half a million when including support personnel and those in the commercial divisions of safety communications.
Each year, agencies and community members from across the nation take the opportunity during the second full week of April to say ‘thank you’ to the men and women who serve in dispatch centers during National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week., April 12-18.
In honor of their efforts, each year local businesses and local community members have taken the opportunity to show their appreciation by providing lunch, cakes and assorted goodies to local dispatchers at the Marshall County 9-1-1 center.
This year, Tim Lambert, owner of Gatti’s in Draffenville, served up pizzas and dessert pizza to staff during the lunch hour. “It’s our pleasure to recognize the efforts of dispatchers in Marshall County,” Lambert said. “We enjoy being involved in our community and are thankful for the opportunity to pay it forward to these very deserving first responders.”