Regional Dispatch Authority

Who are you talking to when you call 911?

In 1976, New Mexico was first in the nation to make it mandatory by law that all Public Safety Telecommunicators attend the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, for a 3-week Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification. Not only are the Telecommunicators required to attend and graduate the Law Enforcement Academy, but they also must have "Continuing Education" of twenty hours every two years. Grant Count Regional Dispatch Authority Telecommunicators are also certified in "Emergency Medical Dispatch" (EMD). This also requires the Telecommunicator an additional twenty hours of "Continuing Education," every two years. (20 of Law Enforcement and Fire - 20 of Medical and Non-Medical Continuing Education hours for a total of 40 hours every two years.)

Please remember when the Telecommunicators are asking you questions; the answers you give will determine who responds to your emergency and how many. While the Telecommunicator is asking questions, they will also be paging out services and talking to the Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS over the radio frequencies. The faster we can get the information we need, the faster we can get it to the Emergency Responders.