Cayce, SC (Paul Kirby) – The Cayce Department of Public Safety is celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week this week. They are doing this, as is Lexington County and other entities across our state. In fact, every year the second full week of April (April 12-18) is a week set aside to honor the hardworking telecommunicators throughout the country.
Monday morning, officials with the City of Cayce reminded the public via social media that, “These individuals have a tough job. If you have ever called 911 to get help, then a telecommunicator has been on the other side gathering your information and sending you help.”
In order to honor these employees, each day this week, Cayce will take the time to recognize and thank every one of their telecommunicators. In their post on social media they said, “At the end of the day, we all go home because of these men and women on the other side of the radio! God bless the work each and every one of you do!”
Monday, they started their recognition by introducing you to Lauren. She is the supervisor of the five other dispatchers with the Cayce Department of Public Safety. Because Cayce is a Department of Public Safety, they integrate their police officers and firefighters. They both often deal with police, medical, and fire calls at the same time daily.
Lauren has been dispatching since 2012. She said in her response to the recognition of her this week, “Everyone on the other side of that radio is my family. I go home when they do. They are my monkeys, and this is my circus. Plus, how would the good guys know where to go if I didn't send them?”
She went on to explain that she could remember her very first active call, first death, first fully involved fire call, and first police chase. She explained that it never gets easier, but it’s the moments when you hang up and know you've truly helped someone in what they consider some of their darkest times that makes it all worth it at the end of the day.
For other telecommunicators being honored locally this week, check out the County of Lexington and the Lexington County Sheriff's Department's social media pages.
In closing, the city’s social media coordinator said, “Lauren, thank you for being the voice of reason that we all hear on the other end of the radio. We couldn't get our job done without you.”
