Under a new law, 911 dispatchers are now considered first responders. | Pixabay
Under a new law, 911 dispatchers are now considered first responders. | Pixabay
Iowa public safety telecommunicators are now first responders under new legislation signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Police officers, firefighters and animal control officers are all dispatched by the Cedar Rapids Joint Communications Agency (JCA).
“Our public safety telecommunicators are the critical first point of contact when there is an emergency or the need for other public safety services," Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said in a city press release. "Trained telecommunicators save lives in our community. They provide pre-arrival instructions for such emergencies as cardiac arrest, choking, shock, profuse bleeding and respiratory problems. Telecommunicators are also responsible for sending back-up to officers in need of assistance, amongst several functions to support police officers. They are an integral part of the public safety team in Cedar Rapids.”
More information on the JCA can be found here.
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