Winnipeg celebrates National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

The City of Winnipeg will honor the important work of 9-1-1 call takers, dispatchers and supervisors during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14-20, 2024. The week is dedicated to all emergency telecom workers. plays an important role in keeping residents and first responders safe.

“Citizens call 9-1-1 when they are in crisis and need urgent help. It's often the worst time in people's lives,” said Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smith. “We are fortunate to have a team of compassionate professionals who can connect citizens with the emergency services they need.”

Christian Schmidt, chief of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, also praised the 9-1-1 callers. “Our community relies on 9-1-1 callers to be there when they need us,” he said. “The work they do as FIRST, first responders is so important – from training someone in CPR, to helping deliver a baby over the phone, or dispatching the nearest paramedic or fire department to ensure help gets there as quickly as possible. They save lives every day and keep residents and first responders safe.”

During intense personal crises and emergencies in the community, WPS and WFPS 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers are the public's first point of contact for all levels of emergency assistance, including police, fire and EMS. The city employs approximately 174 WPS and WFPS 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers. In 2023, the city's emergency telecommunications team answered more than one million calls from residents.

In Winnipeg, all incoming 9-1-1 calls are answered by a WPS 9-1-1 caller who asks for the location and nature of the emergency. If the caller needs police assistance, a 9-1-1 operator will take the call. If there is a medical or fire emergency, the call will be sent to the WFPS call center.

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