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Centre County proclaims April 2025 as 9‑1‑1 Dispatchers Week, highlights staffing strain and hiring needs
Summary
The Board of Commissioners adopted Proclamation No. 16 recognizing 9‑1‑1 dispatchers; county officials and dispatch staff described heavy overtime, lifesaving calls and a $22.32 starting wage and encouraged applicants.
Centre County commissioners on April 11 adopted Proclamation No. 16 declaring April 2025 as 9‑1‑1 Dispatchers Week, honoring dispatchers who manage emergency calls for the county.
The proclamation and a presentation from Centre County 9‑1‑1 staff emphasized the demands of dispatcher work and the strain on staffing. Norman Ramey and another 9‑1‑1 representative described the training process and operational duties, and county officials encouraged residents to consider careers in dispatching.
County staff said initial dispatch training takes approximately six months of classroom and trainer-led instruction followed by another six months working with supervision; continuous training and certifications are required. Ramey reported that Centre County dispatchers answered 130,981 phone calls and handled 136,498 incidents in the last year. He said dispatch staff logged 9,220 hours of overtime during the year; four dispatchers worked more than 950 overtime hours and one exceeded 1,000 hours. Two dispatchers received lifesaver pins for providing CPR instructions over the phone that saved a life, and two others assisted with deliveries of babies.
Commissioners noted the job’s stress and public‑safety value, and several said dispatchers should be recognized as emergency responders. The board also discussed recruitment: the presenters said the starting hourly wage is $22.32 and that employees receive benefits including Blue Cross Blue Shield and a fully funded pension; a pay increase after successful completion of training was mentioned but described as still in process.
The board adopted the proclamation by voice vote. Commissioner Concepcion moved to adopt Proclamation No. 16; a second was recorded and the motion carried.
The presentation and discussion were front‑loaded by commissioners as part of several proclamations and public recognitions during the meeting. Commissioners urged anyone interested in dispatcher positions to consult the Centre County website for job listings.
