As the first point of contact during emergencies, 9-1-1 call takers play a crucial role in public safety. “When anyone in this city calls 9-1-1 for help, the first voice they will hear is your voice,” Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue told the 36 new Communications Operators who graduated at the...

Ten years ago, a single 9-1-1 call changed the course of Kadri Okurlu’s life. After being stabbed in the leg and suffering a severed femoral artery, Kadri was alone in a car, critically injured and bleeding to death. “It was the worst day of my life,” Kadri recalls. “When it...

As the backbone of Toronto’s emergency response system, our Communications Operators should be acknowledged for their dedication, resilience and the life-saving role they play in the community, Chief Myron Demkiw said at the annual Telecommunicator Awards on April 17 that honoured police, fire and paramedic members. “Today, we celebrate not...

Communications Operators are a vital link between citizens needing urgent assistance and police, fire and medical personnel responding to calls for service. “Tens of thousands of people call us for help each year because they know you will answer,” Chief Myron Demkiw said at the Communications Operators graduation on September...