Telecommunicators’ role in public-safety communications more vital than ever
If telecommunicators are perceived as being belligerent and simply opposing change, they risk being ignored or losing their voice at the table altogether as change is implemented. That would be a shame, because the role of telecommunicators will be more vital than ever in a next-generation environment, and telecommunicators are the closest link to the public that 911 is designed to help protect.
Change often is inherently uncomfortable and difficult to execute. But that does not mean that change is bad. And, in many cases, it is inevitable.
For some of us in journalism, that means we are writing stories that no longer appear in a print product. No matter how much some may want it to be, the public is not going to revert back to reading print products as its first option for gathering information.
In the much more critical arena of 911 communications, it means embracing the notion that the public’s use of technology is changing and that the methods for seeking emergency help need to reflect that. By doing this and remaining steadfast in letting policymakers know the real requirements associated with next-generation 911, telecommunicators can use their powerful collective voice to ensure that this migration is implemented as smoothly as possible while improving the safety of first responders and the public they serve.