RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Inside a dimly lit room at the Riviera Beach Police Department (RBPD), phones ring back-to-back as dispatchers answer calls that can mean the difference between life and death.
CBS12 News reporter Katie Bente was given rare access to the department’s 911 communications center during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which recognizes the professionals who answer emergency calls and coordinate response efforts.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is observed each April to recognize dispatchers — often called the “first first responders” — who answer emergency calls and coordinate police, fire, and medical response.
A constant flow of calls
Officials say the center handles more than 100,000 calls each year, with roughly half classified as emergencies…