Hocking County to formally recognize 9‑1‑1 telecommunicators as first responders

Sheriff Lanny E. North asked the Hocking County Board of Commissioners on April 16 to formally recognize 9‑1‑1 telecommunicators as first responders through a county proclamation, saying dispatchers provide life‑saving guidance and coordination in emergencies.

The request came during the sheriff’s presentation to the board. “They are the calm voice guiding citizens through life‑threatening situations,” the sheriff said, describing dispatchers’ roles in coordinating police, fire and emergency medical services and providing real‑time instructions such as CPR and de‑escalation support.

A county staff member then read a prepared proclamation that says telecommunicators are often classified under clerical designations in Ohio despite performing rigorous, high‑stress work, and that recognizing dispatchers as first responders would support access to training and mental‑health resources. The proclamation text thanked telecommunicators and other first responders for their “heroic and life‑saving role in public safety.”

Commissioners agreed to make the proclamation official in general business and to sign and photograph the proclamation with sheriff’s office staff. The board’s action was described by the presiding official as a procedural motion to approve and sign the proclamation; the board indicated it would complete that step during the meeting’s general‑business agenda.

The proclamation does not itself change pay or classification; the sheriff framed it as formal recognition intended to highlight dispatchers’ contributions and to bolster access to resources that reflect the demands of their work. The county will finalize and sign the proclamation during general business as planned.