North Central Texas Emergency Communications District Graduates 20 New Recruits After First Responder Reclassification

ARLINGTON, Texas, July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The North Central Texas Emergency Communications District (NCT9-1-1) will graduate 20 9-1-1 telecommunicators from its Regional Telecommunicator Academy (RTA) Class #008 on August 2 at a ceremony in Arlington. These recruits are the first graduating class after the signing of House Bill 1090, which reclassifies Texas 9-1-1 telecommunicators as first responders. NCT9-1-1 hosts the only telecommunicator academy in the state.

Texas is the first state to reclassify its telecommunicators and include them as first responders alongside officers, firefighters, and EMTs. Before HB1090, they were classified as secretaries.

"From citizens requesting emergency services, to field units needing manpower or equipment or deployment resources during disasters, 9-1-1 telecommunicators are true first responders," said NCT9-1-1 Operations Manager Sherry Decker. "HB1090 will finally give them that recognition."

The graduating recruits will have completed a rigorous four-week program that teaches equipment use, state mandates and regulations, how to handle emergency communications situations, and more.

"I've been in this industry for 22 years," said NCT9-1-1 Training Coordinator Lysa Baker. "And these recruits have blown me away. It's my job to not only teach them legal standards and best practices but to give them the resilience they'll need to thrive. The recruits entering this industry make me excited about the future of 9-1-1."

Texas is also the only state that requires telecommunicators to be licensed, which holds them to the same standards as peace officers and jailers. The 20 graduating recruits represent 12 different law enforcement agencies and fire marshal offices in North Texas and Texarkana.

What: Graduation Ceremony for Regional Telecommunicator Academy Class #008
Where: 600 Six Flags Drive Suite 226, Arlington, TX 76011
When: August 1, 10:00 AM
Why: Celebrate the graduation of 20 new telecommunicators in North Texas

About the North Central Texas Emergency Communications District

The North Central Texas Emergency Communications District (NCT9-1-1) is responsible for 40 plus Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the 13 counties surrounding the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The district supports these PSAPs through maintaining and upgrading 9-1-1 equipment, providing up-to-date mapping information, training 9-1 telecommunicators, educating the public on the proper use of 9-1-1, and monitoring PSAP functionality and compliances. NCT9-1-1 serves a population of 1.7 million and 10,000+ square miles.

Contact:                                                                  
Amelia Mueller
Communications Coordinator
682-666-2502
[email protected]

SOURCE North Central Texas Emergency Communications District