It’s National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. Every day, 911 workers answer calls for help and are the first to respond in emergencies, said Thomas Howell, director of SNOPAC.
Snohomish County is served by four public safety communication centers: SNOPAC, which serves greater Snohomish County; SNOCOM, which serves Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Brier; Marysville Public Safety, which serves the city of Marysville and the Marysville Fire District; and the Washington State Patrol, which serves troopers in Snohomish County.
Answering 911 calls and dispatching police and fire units can be a thankless job, Howell said. The dispatcher often does not know the end of the story after helping police and firefighters get to the scene.
Emergency services employees are some of the most caring, dedicated and professional people you will ever meet, Howell added.
It’s a day for kids to kick some butts
Kids everywhere are asked to join Kick Butts Day today.
Sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, kids will send messages today to tobacco companies to stop targeting them with marketing for cigarettes and other tobacco products. They will ask elected leaders to do more to protect them from tobacco.
Some plan to urge Gov. Christine Gregoire and the Legislature to continue supporting tobacco prevention programs.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, tobacco companies spent more than $12.7 billion last year to market their products in the U.S., or more than $34 million a day. In Washington, tobacco companies spent $163 million last year to market their products.
Correction
Beverly Woods of Kingston, the ranking Republican in the state House Transportation Committee, stopped short of endorsing a gas tax increase proposed by her panel, but did vote to keep it alive for discussion. An Associated Press story on Page A8 Monday was incorrect.
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