FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The week of April 14-20, 2019 is set aside nationally to honor those that provide the voice to our emergency services across our country. We recognize the outstanding service of 9-1-1 telecommunicators during observance of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. The Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department will honor the employees with activities and events to highlight the week to include an official proclamation signed by Mayor Ken McClure, City Manager Jason Gage, the Commissioners of Greene County and Greene County Administrator Chris Coulter.
“Our dispatch center and trained 9-1-1 telecommunicators answer 700-800 calls every day. When those in our community need us, they rely on the ‘first’ first responders on the other end of the phone line,” says Director Zim Schwartze. “We receive over 261,000 9-1-1 calls in our county each year with a wide range of emergency situations. We are so very fortunate to have such highly trained and committed staff in our Operations Center, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I’m honored to be a part of the 9-1-1 profession, the Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Department, and the dedicated telecommunicators who serve our community every day."
Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications received over 261,000 9-1-1 emergency calls in 2018 with nearly 83 percent of these calls from a wireless device. These numbers continue to increase each year and the ‘text-to-911’ capability was formally implemented in 2018 for those rare cases when people are unable to communicate audibly via the telephone. They have received approximately 30 ‘text-to-911’ calls each month in the past year.
Schwartze said the 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department proudly dispatches for 13 fire agencies and nine law enforcement agencies who all work well together and provide excellent public safety response for our community.
The fire agencies include:
- Ash Grove Fire Protection District
- Battlefield Fire Protection District
- Bois D’Arc Fire Protection District
- Brookline Fire Protection District
- Ebenezer Fire Protection District
- Fair Grove Fire Protection District
- Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District
- Republic Fire Department
- Springfield Fire Department
- Strafford Fire Protection District
- Walnut Grove Fire Protection District
- West Republic Fire Protection District
- Willard Fire Protection District
The law enforcement agencies they serve include:
- Ash Grove Police Department
- Battlefield Police Department
- Fair Grove Police Department
- Greene County Sheriff’s Office
- Republic Police Department
- Springfield Police Department
- Strafford Police Department
- Walnut Grove Police Department
- Willard Police Department.
In addition, the Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 receives the initial 9-1-1 calls for medical assistance that is transferred to CoxHealth or Mercy Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for dispatch.
“We enjoy an excellent working relationship with our area emergency medical dispatch teams and many other public safety partners in the southwest Missouri region,” says Schwartze.
Schwartze reminds citizens to contact 9-1-1 when they need police, fire and/or emergency medical ambulance response.
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For more information about 9-1-1 and presentations, please contact: Director Zim Schwartze at 417-829-6200 or [email protected]