Florence County is first in South Carolina to recognize 911 call-takers as first responders
FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A first-of-its-kind resolution unanimously adopted by Florence County Council formally recognizes telecommunicators who work in Central Dispatch as first responders.
Florence is the first county in South Carolina to make such a designation for those who handle critical 911 calls. Officials said the resolution “identifies the critical roles performed, the stressful situations experienced, and the specialized equipment Telecommunicators utilize.”
“Police, Fire, and EMS—they’re all recognized in State law as First Responders,” County Administrator Kevin Yokim said in a news release. “Telecommunications Officers/Central Dispatchers are not. We are taking the first step in an effort to try to get this done Statewide so Florence County is taking the lead.
“By way of this resolution, we’re declaring our Telecommunications Officers should be First Responders. They’re the first ones. When you call 911, the people you talk to, to get help coming to you are the dispatchers.”
On the national level, the 9-1-1 SAVES Act introduced in Congress aims to reclassify the role of a telecommunicator as a protective service occupation, putting them in the same category as firefighters, police officers, correctional officers, and other public safety professionals.
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Dennis Bright is a Digital Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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