It’s National Telecommunicators Week and it’s a time to spotlight those who are on the other end when you make an emergency call.

Jean Tuhn is a 23-year veteran with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and has spent the last five years as a dispatcher. She says her responsibilities as a dispatcher include answering all emergency and non-emergency calls for service, along with paging out first responders, law enforcement, medical and fire departments if necessary, monitoring the county jail, entering arrest warrants, monitoring and issuing severe weather warnings from the National Weather Service, among other things during her 12-hour shifts. 

Tuhn talks about what she likes the most about being a dispatcher.

“I enjoy the job because I get to help the public. They call in, everything from a problem to somebody just might need a telephone number. We’re here to assist the public, that’s the biggest joy. People call and will thank you for helping them and assisting them. That’s the biggest joy to me is just helping the public.”

Greene County Sheriff Jack Williams is appreciative of the work all of his dispatchers do.

“I think we’ve got some of the best dispatchers in the state. I just recently went through a stint where I had two of my full time dispatchers out for medical issues. The part time dispatchers were great and helped pick up the slack. I think we’ve got the best crew in the state right here in Greene County.”

The Greene County Dispatchers work with both the sheriff’s office and the Jefferson Police Department.