BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County 911 dispatchers serve as the first contact in an emergency, handling everything from routine traffic to life-threatening situations, with the ultimate goal of keeping people safe.
Their role is being highlighted this week as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
In Erie County, all 911 calls and texts are routed to the third floor of the Central Police Services building. Calls for ambulances are directed to ADI, while calls for the Buffalo Police Department are handled by dispatchers like Adam Okonczak.
"I've been here since 2:45 a.m.," Okonczak said.
Okonczak's primary job is to get police officers where they need to be.
"Everybody here is vital. Every job here is vital," Okonczak said.
WATCH: 'We get them home': Celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
Some calls are unusual, including reports with wild animals.
Other calls leave lasting impacts. Okonczak remembers a haunting incident when an officer, who is also a friend, was attacked by a shoplifter.
"She got attacked by the perp. It's tough to talk about," Okonczak said.
"We save lives. There's nothing better than saving a life," said Lisa Sears, director of law enforcement communications for Erie County.
Buffalo Police Capt. Amber Beyer says she relies on dispatchers to navigate high-stress situations.
"They’re that calming voice to get us what we need and sometimes tell us what we need. We couldn’t do our jobs without them," Beyer said.
On Tuesday, the dispatch center welcomed new first responders, including Amari Webb and Johanna Andujar, who were on their second day on the job.
"I always thought a dispatcher position was cool," Webb said.
"I just love being able to help people," Andujar said.
"Everybody goes home," Okonczak said. "I cannot stress how huge that is. I'll be training the new people over there, that's what we're gonna talk about, keeping an eye on these guys so they can do their job and we get them home."
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