Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, through weather challenges, weekends and holidays, Emergency 911 dispatches are on the job. Last year, Schuylkill County telecommunicators answered a staggering 142,000 calls.

“We are blessed to have people such as yourselves,” Schuylkill County Commissioners’ Chairman George Halcovage said. During a workshop meeting Wednesday, the commissioners honored the National Telecommunicator Week. County Communications Director Scott Krater and two dispatchers, Mark Luttic and Rick Examitas, attended.

“Thank you for your weekends and holidays, and your time away from your families,” Commissioner Gary Hess said. “Public safety is number one.”

Commissioner Frank Staudenmeier said that Schuylkill County “truly appreciates” the job that the telecommunicators do. Examitas, who has worked for the County 911 Center for 24 years, said he appreciated the commissioners’ acknowledgment of their work.