April 14, 2019 - When an emergency strikes, the public turns to the 9-1-1 system as the lifeline to ensure police, fire and medical personnel are able to respond quickly. Often 9-1-1 operators go unnoticed and CAL FIRE is taking the opportunity during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week to highlight the critical role that our department’s dispatchers play during an emergency. These dedicated personnelare critical to our ability to dispatch the equipment and personnel that protect the public and our state's natural resources. 

CAL FIRE operates 21 Emergency Command Centers (ECC) throughout California that answer over 470,000 calls for help and dispatch over a thousand different pieces of emergency equipment including fire engines, helicopters, airtankers and rescue vehicles. Approximately 100 local fire departments contract with CAL FIRE to provide dispatching services.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week was started by Congress back in 1991 to help highlight the thousands of individuals who respond to emergency calls across the nation. These men and woman are available 24/7 to aid and dispatch emergency professionals and resources during a crisis.
Source: CAL FIRE