California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
This resolution serves to recognize and honor the thousands of public safety dispatchers who answer over 240 million 911 calls annually. The acknowledgment of this specific week is intended to elevate awareness about the contributions of these professionals, who often work under challenging and stressful conditions, and to promote appreciation for their indispensable role in the first responder system in California.
Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 31, introduced by Assembly Member Hadwick on February 12, 2025, aims to declare the week of April 13, 2025, to April 19, 2025, as California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. The resolution highlights the critical role that public safety telecommunicators play in the protection of life and property during emergencies, emphasizing their commitment to serving California's residents by answering emergency and non-emergency calls and coordinating responses from public safety personnel.
While the resolution is largely a matter of public recognition and does not introduce direct changes to state laws, it implicitly addresses systemic challenges faced by dispatchers and highlights a growing acknowledgment of dispatchers as first responders, a status formalized as of January 1, 2021. The recognition could foster initiatives or discussions around improving working conditions and support for telecommunicators, paving the way for legislative measures that could follow.