Florence, South Carolina – Florence County Council has passed a groundbreaking resolution that officially recognizes Central Dispatch telecommunicators as first responders. This is the first time a county in South Carolina has given this status to the individuals responsible for managing emergency 911 calls. The resolution highlights the important functions these telecommunicators perform, the high-pressure situations they face, and the specific equipment they use.
“Police, Fire, and EMS—they’re all recognized in State law as First Responders,” County Administrator Kevin Yokim said in a news release. “Telecommunications Officers/Central Dispatchers are not. We are taking the first step in an effort to try to get this done Statewide so Florence County is taking the lead.
“By way of this resolution, we’re declaring our Telecommunications Officers should be First Responders. They’re the first ones. When you call 911, the people you talk to, to get help coming to you are the dispatchers.”
Additionally, at the national level, the proposed 9-1-1 SAVES Act in Congress is looking to categorize the role of telecommunicators as a protective service occupation, aligning them with firefighters, police officers, correctional officers, and other public safety workers.
