Stratford Honors Public Safety Dispatchers

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford’s public safety dispatchers were honored this past week as part of the National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick recognized the Stratford Public Safety Communications Center’s staff by releasing an official proclamation.

“Our Public Safety Telecommunicators are the front lines of our public safety network,” Hoydick said. “This first point of contact in the public safety response is critical to the function of the emergency management system. I value and am most appreciative of our professional and experienced staff who are essential in managing the deployment of our public safety assets.”

The Stratford Public Safety Communications Center is the primary public safety answering point for the Town of Stratford. They are responsible for manning the E911 center and dispatching police, EMS and/or fire units to more than 40,000 calls per year, according to a news release.

“They process over 128,000 inbound and outbound phone calls per year (350 per day),” officials wrote in a news release. “With all of that, they are also required to perform numerous tasks due to the 24/7/365 nature of their operation. This includes but is not limited to: performing law enforcement database checks, performing emergency medical dispatch per state of Connecticut statute, monitoring field assets at emergency scenes like structure fires, administrative notifications and even weather station monitoring. Further the center plays an active role in the Town’s Emergency Management and Emergency Operation Center (EOC) actions. Their mission is to be the gate keepers in the shared public safety goal of ensuring the safety and security of the residents and businesses of Stratford. This role has only been increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special emphasis on critical call screening and notifications to the responders in the field.”

“The effective discourse between the resident and first responder help minimize risk and effectively save lives,” said Larry Ciccarelli, the Town’s Public Safety Director. “During the pandemic, this process has taken an even greater meaning. Congratulations and I am very proud to work side by side everyday with them.”

J.P. Sredzinski, superintendent of the Stratford Public Safety Communications Center, said: “It’s important that we take time to recognize the efforts of our Public Safety Dispatchers this week. Every moment of every day they are on the frontlines of providing critical medical, fire, police and administrative services. They are the ones that take the phone calls from a husband who finds his wife deceased, the calls from a frantic parent whose child is choking, the panicked homeowner with their living room on fire, the scared child who can’t find his parents. These calls are processed and responders are sent quickly and safely to every emergency call in Stratford, right from this center.”