National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week: April 14, – April 20.

ZANESVILLE, Ohio. – This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. A week to honor and appreciate safety dispatchers who report emergencies to first responders.

One of Zanesville Police Department’s dispatchers, Hannah Hoosier has been working for the Z.P.D for nearly two years. She said she tries to sound as caring and as calm as possible because that will make it easier for the caller to get through what may be a very difficult, even scary time.

“Most of the time you just have to talk calm with them and it will start to bring them down, as long as you’re reassuring them and tell them that you’re going to be coming and everything is going to be okay and you do have to show that you

do care, cause you do honestly. If that was you in that position, you would want somebody to feel and understand what you’re going through at that moment,” said Hoosier.

At times, the Zanesville Police Department will have as many as three dispatchers on at a time. Hoosier said though sometimes the job is stressful, it’s one of the best feelings knowing you’re helping someone on the other end of the phone.

“Honestly, I feel rewarded when I go home, and it makes me feel good to know that my daughter can look at me and be proud. To know that somebody is still listening and somebody just put themselves in that person’s shoes of how they’re feeling. I want to help. Some people now, just don’t want to do that, but I do,” added Hoosier.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators week runs from April 14th to the 20th.