Each year, during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we are given a dedicated moment to recognize a group of professionals who are essential to public safety, yet often remain unseen. These are the unseen heroes, the calm during the storm, the ones who answer the call when someone’s life has been flipped upside down. These are our 911 Communications Specialists, the Nation’s true “First, First Responders.”

We are blessed here in Marshall County to have men and women who exemplify professionalism, compassion and strength like few can. Unless you have sat in their chair. While sirens and flashing lights are often what people associate with emergency response, the reality is that every single one of those responses begins with a voice, a calm, steady voice on the other end of a phone line.

That voice belongs to a 911 Communications Specialist.

When someone dials 911, it is rarely during a good moment. It is often the worst day of someone’s life, a medical emergency, a fire, a crash, a moment of fear, confusion, or panic. In that moment, the individual calling is looking for help, but they are also looking for reassurance, for direction, and for someone who can bring order to chaos. That is exactly what our team does, every single day.

They answer without hesitation. They listen without judgment. And they act with purpose.

Our Communications Specialists are highly trained professionals. They are skilled in emergency medical dispatch, law enforcement coordination, fire response protocols, crisis communication, and the use of advanced technology systems that allow us to serve Marshall County effectively. But beyond all of that training, what truly defines them is something that cannot be taught in a classroom, that key ingredient is “Heart.”

They bring empathy to every call. They bring patience when someone is struggling to find words. They bring strength when the situation feels overwhelming. They guide callers through CPR. They help people escape dangerous situations. They gather critical information while simultaneously dispatching responders who are on their way to help.

And they do all of this while managing multiple responsibilities at once, responsibilities such as answering phones, monitoring radios, coordinating units, updating information, and maintaining situational awareness across the entire county. It is a role that requires focus, composure, and an incredible ability to think clearly under pressure. But it is also a role that comes with weight.

Our 911 professionals hear things that most people will never hear. They experience moments of tragedy secondhand. They listen to fear, pain, and loss. And yet, they come back the next day, and the next, ready to do it all again, because they know that what they do matters. That is something I do not take lightly.

As the Director of the Marshall County Communications Center, I can say without hesitation that this team is one of the most dedicated, compassionate, and hardworking groups of professionals I have had the privilege to work alongside. They are not just coworkers, they are a team in the truest sense of the word. They support each other, they learn from each other, and they step up for one another in ways that strengthen not only the center but the entire community. Marshall County is blessed to have them.

It is also important to recognize that our Communications Specialists are part of a much larger partnership. Every call they take connects directly to the responders in the field, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshalltown Police Department, the State Center Police Department, the Marshalltown Fire Department and all of our hard working men and women that respond with our Volunteer Fire, and First Responders, and UPH EMS.

There is a level of trust built between dispatchers and responders that is difficult to describe but essential to public safety. When a dispatcher sends information over the radio, it must be accurate, timely, and clear. When a responder is heading into a situation, they rely on that information to make decisions that can impact their safety and the safety of others.

That connection ~ that trust ~ is built every single day through communication, professionalism, and a shared mission. And it all starts with that first voice.

The “First, First Responder.”

What makes our team in Marshall County truly special is not just their skill, but their character. These are individuals who care deeply about the people they serve. They care about getting it right. They care about making a difference. And they care about each other. They celebrate the wins, the calls where outcomes are good, where help arrives in time, where lives are changed for the better. But they also carry the difficult calls, the ones that don’t leave easily, the ones that stay with them long after their shift ends.

And still, they show up.

That is dedication. That is service. That is what it means to be a 911 professional.

As we recognize National Telecommunicators Week, I ask our community to take a moment to think about the last time you needed help, or the moment you hope never comes. In that moment, before anyone arrives on scene, before help is physically there, there will be a voice. That voice will be calm. It will be steady. It will guide you. That voice will belong to one of our 911 Communications Specialists.

They may never meet you. They may never know the full outcome of the call. But in that moment, they will give you everything they have to help you through it. That is the level of commitment we are talking about.

To our 911 Communications Specialists. Thank you for your professionalism. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for always putting your heart into every shift. Thank you for the long hours, the tough days, the heartbreaking calls and the strength YOU display each and every shift. Thank you for being there for each other and for serving this community with pride. You are the calm when everyone else is chaos.

To our law enforcement, fire, EMS, and volunteer partners, thank you for the trust you place in our team. The work we do is interconnected, and it is that partnership that allows us to serve Marshall County effectively. And to the citizens of Marshall County, thank you for your continued support. Thank you for trusting us in your moments of need. Thank you for recognizing the importance of the people behind the phones and radios.

Public safety is a shared responsibility, and together, we make this community stronger. As we move forward, we will continue to grow, to learn, and to adapt. Technology will evolve, procedures will improve, and challenges will come. But one thing will remain constant, the dedication of the men and women who answer the call. They are your first connection to help. They are your steady voice in uncertainty. They are your First, First Responders. And here in Marshall County, they are second to none.

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Rhonda Braudis, CPE, RPL, NREMT,

is the 911 Communications Director for the

Marshall County Communications Commission.