Kankakee Times

Last week was National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, and Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) took to social media to thank dispatchers across Illinois and the nation as a whole.

“Happy National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 9-15, 2023!” Haas posted on Facebook. “This week we honor the men and women behind the scenes, on the other end of the phone, who help keep us all safe. Thank you to all of our 911 dispatchers for the difficult work you all do each and every day!”

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) is held each year during the second week of April to honor public safety telecommunicators for their commitment, service and sacrifice. It was started in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California. Then in 1994, President Bill Clinton signed Presidential Proclamation 6667, which declared the second week of April as NPSTW.

State Police Director Brendan Kelly issued a press release on April 7 to honor first responders, saying “when seconds can mean lives, public safety dispatchers are often the first contact citizens have in an emergency.” He called telecommunicators “the unsung heroes of Illinois.”

“Often referred to as the first, first responders, our telecommunicators are a vital link within our operation, helping us serve the public,” said Kelly. “Every year in April we honor those calming voices and recognize the role they play in ensuring effective and efficient emergency response in times of crisis.”

Haas represents the 79th District in Kankakee, Will and Grundy Counties. She attended school in Momence, Illinois, and Bishop McNamara High School. Haas earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Valparaiso University and received her master’s degree with specialization in mental health from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jane Addams School of Social Work. She has spent 30 years serving the people of Illinois as a social worker and is the CEO of the Helen Wheeler Center for Community Mental Health.