April is National 911 Education Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                
April 5, 2018                                                                                                        
CONTACT:
Michael Loiz, EMS & 911 Director 
203-385-4060                                                                                                                                                          mloiz@townofstratford.com 
National 911 Education Month Prepares Americans for Emergencies 
Stratford, CT – This April 1 – 30, national public safety organizations and the wireless industry will conduct outreach to the community to ensure the public is ready to access help during emergencies during National 911 Education Month. 
A variety of resources are available at www.know911.org to support both the “911, The Number to Know” campaign and education themes including: 
When to call: Call 911 for emergencies. To stop a crime, save a life in a medical emergency or report a fire. 911 should not be used for any situation that is clearly not an emergency.
Know Your Location: Wireless calls to 911 provide some location information, but 9-1-1 call takers may need more specific information. Be prepared to provide detailed information on where you are so that help can get to you as quickly as possible. Stay Calm and Don’t Hang Up: Until you are instructed to do otherwise, stay on the line so you can provide any necessary information or assistance to the 911 call taker. Even if you accidentally call.
Answer questions: Dispatchers may ask a series of questions, but they have important reasons for each one. Your answers help the dispatcher determine what kind of help you need, and how much. The questions help determine if any specialized equipment is needed and they also help the dispatcher determine what instructions are necessary to provide you. The questions are part on an international protocol developed and tested by experts over the past 30 years.
Stay Calm and Don’t Hang Up: Until you are instructed to do otherwise, stay on the line so you can provide any necessary information or assistance to the 911 call taker. Even if you accidentally call 911 don’t hang up. Inform the call taker that you dialed accidentally and that there is no emergency. 
“For nearly five decades, 911 has served as the vital link between the American public and emergency services. Public education and awareness initiatives have contributed in large measure to this incredible success,” said Michael Loiz, Director of EMS and 911. “The resources available at www.know911.org help educators, government officials, media representatives, and concerned citizens alike promote ongoing, age appropriate 911 education that can save lives.” 
“You don’t wake up in the morning thinking you are going to call 911. However, should you have to, it may be the most important call you ever make,” said JP Sredzinski, Stratford Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor. “That’s what makes 911 Education Month so very important. In an emergency, seconds matter; being knowledgeable and prepared can make all the difference.” 
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Know911.org for more information
Stratford Public Safety Communications Center
The Stratford Public Safety Communications Center is the primary PSAP for the Town of Stratford. They are responsible for manning the E911 center and dispatching police, EMS and/or fire units to over 40,000 calls per year. They process over 128,000 inbound and outbound phone calls per year (350 per day). With all of that, they are required to perform numerous tasks due to the 24/7/365 nature of their operation.  This includes but is not limited to: performing law enforcement database checks, performing emergency medical dispatch per state of CT statute, monitoring field assets at emergency scenes like structure fires, administrative notifications and even weather station monitoring.  Further the center plays an active role in the Towns EOC operations.  Learn more here: SPSCC