‘Unsung heroes’: Deschutes County celebrates 911 dispatchers for their hard work in critical moments

(Update: Adding video, comments from 911 dispatcher)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes County is celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week to raise awareness of the invaluable work done by Deschutes 911, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They're called the unsung heroes of emergency services. The calm voice you hear in an emergency are often called "the first, first responders."

"There's a lot of really awesome benefits when we get to help someone or save a life that sticks with you and there's definitely pride behind that," dispatcher Hannah Wilkinson said Monday. "I think maybe there's sometimes a fear behind calling, or a concern that it's a bother to us. It's absolutely not!.. That's what we're here for. We would rather you call the sooner we can get you help."

Wilkinson has worked for the Deschutes County 911 dispatch for two years and says every day is different.

"We see a lot of traffic complaints, as well as domestic disputes and probably a rise in mental health crisis," she said. "We have a great community crisis response team now that helps take a lot of that load off of the police department. And they do a really good job."

The Deschutes 911 team is a group of highly trained telecommunicators who calmly guide callers through emergencies, relaying vital information to law enforcement, firefighters, mental health professionals, and emergency medical teams, ensuring that help arrives when it's needed most.

“The county’s public safety telecommunicators are the unsung heroes in our community and an essential part of the emergency response system,” said Deschutes 9-1-1 Director Sara Crosswhite. “When someone calls 911, telecommunicators gather crucial information, dispatch the appropriate services and oftentimes provide life-saving instructions while help is on the way.”

In 2024, Deschutes 911 answered 273,337 calls, which equates to nearly 750 calls a day. Of those, 66,369 were for emergency situations and 206,968 were for non-emergency situations. Deschutes 9-1-1 dispatchers assisted in the birth of three babies last year.

Dispatcher Hannah Wilkinson told us: "We're here to be the calm voice and hopefully guide people through the process when these emergencies are happening. These emergencies will happen no matter what, and so we're just here to be the friendly voice on the other side of the phone."

NPSTW has been an annual observance during the second week of April since 1981. Throughout the week, Deschutes 9-1-1 staff will participate in a variety of internal team-building activities and events to honor the members of their team.

As the county observes NPSTW, they encourage community members to express their gratitude and appreciation for the telecommunicators at Deschutes 9-1-1. Whether through writing a thank-you note or sharing a social media post, every gesture helps to show these dedicated professionals that their dedicated service does not go unnoticed.