By Matt de Simone
Sunshine Services in Troutville welcomed members of Botetourt County’s first responders, law enforcement, and 9-1-1 dispatchers last Friday with ice cream and their appreciation for their dedication to keeping Botetourt County safe.
Lee Henry of Sunshine Services offered ice cream treats for first responders, dispatchers, and community members supporting National Public Safety Telecommunications Week (NPSTW), also known as “9-1-1 Dispatchers Week.”
“So many people within the community have to come together who strongly support our dispatchers,” Botetourt County Sheriff Matt Ward stated in a recent video posted on the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. “We want to recognize these men and women who keep us safe in the county– their professionalism, their dedication to keeping us safe.”
NPSTW was founded to honor the telecommunication personnel dedicating their lives to public safety. It was a local initiative initially set up in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of Contra Costa County, Calif., which later became a nationwide, week-long event.
In 1991, NPSTW was officially declared for the second week in April by the United States Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton. Three years later, NPSTW was formally and permanently recognized and celebrated worldwide.
“We at the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office want to recognize our men and women for the full week,” Ward continued. “(The 9-1-1 dispatchers) are the true first responders– the lifeline, the calm voice during a time of need. We want to recognize that professionalism and dedication that they perform under so much stress and pressure to keep us safe.”
Sheriff Ward went on the thank local businesses and community members for their support.
