On April 16, 2020, the W-Y Communications Board, comprised of local Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire, and Emergency Management departments from both Washington and Yuma Counties, met for their regular scheduled monthly meeting. During this meeting, the Board was asked to consider a resolution that would allow 911 professionals to be recognized as First Responders. After careful consideration, the Board voted unanimously to approve the resolution, thus designating the W-Y Communications Center, and its employees as First Responders.
The W-Y Communications Center joins the ranks of only three other 911 agencies in Colorado to receive this designation, following in the footsteps of Jeffcom, Pitkin, and Arapahoe Counties.
The W-Y Communications Center is a two-county emergency communications center that provides support to 15 fire, four law enforcement, and five EMS agencies in both Washington and Yuma Counties. In addition to answering all 911 emergency calls in both counties, all law enforcement administrative calls are answered in house as well. W-Y Communications Center dispatchers receive training in EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatching), which allows them to render immediate and potentially life saving aid over the phone prior to EMS, Police, or Fire arriving on scene. They truly are the FIRST First Responders!
Brent Deterding, W-Y Communications Board Chairman said, “This resolution gives the W-Y Communications Center Staff the recognition they are truly deserving of. Those of us on the board know how vital emergency dispatchers are to the First Responder process, and this resolution just confirms that to the public at large.”