Since joining the New Hanover County team all the way back in 2008, I couldn’t begin to fathom how many Board of Commissioner meetings I have taken part in. Back-of-the-napkin math puts it somewhere above 400, and each of them is unique in what is on the agenda and where the conversation goes. 

In that span of time, I have seen and heard countless presentations to the Board regarding proclamations or resolutions in support of awareness campaigns or to recognize the work of our staff that supports the community. 

Each one of these is important in their own right, a reminder of important topics or departments and what they mean on a local level. But sometimes, a discussion makes you pause and think. That happened to me on April 7. 

As our 911 Director Hope Downs addressed the Commissioners regarding a proclamation to recognize April 13-19 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in New Hanover County, I was reminded of everything this dedicated team quietly does behind the scenes to keep our community safe. 

To say their level of support and professionalism is unmatched would truly be an understatement. 

When a caller reaches out to 911, the calm, reassuring voice on the other end becomes a lifeline reaching back to shine light on a potentially dark or difficult moment. Our telecommunicators routinely guide anxious individuals through high-stress moments, including childbirth, administering life-saving procedures until help arrives, and coordinating complex responses during emergencies of all sizes. 

And while it’s unlikely you’ll ever know their names or see their faces, the data behind the work they do speaks volumes about the impact they have on our community. 

This unwavering commitment aligns seamlessly with our Strategic Plan’s emphasis on community safety and well-being. Our ambitious 2024-2028 objective to dispatch 90 percent of urgent 911 calls within 90 seconds underscores an ongoing promise of timely and reliable emergency responses for our residents and visitors.

In 2024, telecommunicators in our 911 center handled an extraordinary 480,885 total calls, requesting help from law enforcement, fire rescue and emergency medical services. Even more impressive, 95.74 percent of these calls to 911 were answered within 15 seconds, placing our county among the fastest responders in North Carolina. For context, the national benchmark is 90 percent of calls will be answered in 15 seconds or less, a mark which the county clearly outperformed. However, the state standard is 90 percent in 10 seconds or less. Our team exceeded that marker as well, answering 93.04 percent of calls last year in 10 seconds or less.  

Yet these figures represent far more than data – they symbolize real moments of crisis, genuine fear and countless lives touched and protected.

Additionally, this dedicated team doesn’t just serve those in New Hanover County. Sometimes, they are called upon for something more. In the face of Hurricane Helene, they demonstrated extraordinary dedication by not only protecting our own community but extending a helping hand to Buncombe County during their time of greatest need. Their work, here at the coast, helped save lives hundreds of miles away in the mountains. 

Recently, the 911 team has added Spanish language interpreters to make sure residents in our community who aren’t fluent in English have the same access to help when they call for an emergency. 

And to be clear, the work doesn’t end when help arrives and the call is over. Initiatives such as our innovative 911 CARE Team, which provides mental health support during and after a crisis, highlight the continually evolving and expanding role of telecommunicators. Addressing the emergency as it happens is important, but so is focusing on any potential lingering impacts, including those wounds that are unseen. 

This team and their ability to maintain composure under pressure, execute split-second decisions and coordinate comprehensive responses speaks volumes about their indispensable value within our emergency services. Every crisis truly begins and ends in the 911 call center, and this group works tirelessly, professionally and with unmatched commitment to public service.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week may officially last just seven days, but our gratitude and recognition for these unseen heroes extends throughout every day of the year. These steadfast heroes truly are the vital link connecting our community to help and hope.  And for that, New Hanover County remains deeply grateful.