Editorial: Dispatchers are the calm in Portage County’s storms
By Brandi Makuski
In Portage County, when crisis strikes, it’s not a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic who answers the first call for help. It’s a 911 dispatcher — often unseen, often unheard, but absolutely vital.
This week, as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 13-19), we recognize the elite group of individuals who keep their cool while others are losing theirs. In a high-stress, emotionally charged environment, dispatchers, also called communications technicians, serve as the thread connecting victims, families, and first responders. And in Portage County, they do it with exceptional professionalism, empathy, and skill.
At the county’s Communications Center, currently located in the Portage Co. Law Enforcement Center in downtown Stevens Point, a dedicated team fields every 911 call — day or night, holiday or weekend. From coordinating law enforcement to deploying fire and EMS units, they are the nerve center of our local emergency response network. They monitor more than 20 radio channels, guide panicked callers through CPR, and juggle multiple crises simultaneously — all while remaining composed and efficient.
In 2024, the Portage Co. Communication Center received 103,548 calls and 19 Text-to-911 messages. Of those, more than 16,000 were emergency calls — an average of 44 emergencies daily. Nintey-nine percent of all calls were answered within 10 seconds.
They also dispatched 53,166 calls for service last year.
Dispatch also serves as the central communications hub for all area police, fire, EMS, street/highway and water departments, the humane society, UWSP security, and city transit.
According to Sheriff Mike Lukas, the load is handled by a team of 15 comm techs, with one in training. The department currently has five vacancies.
But those 16 people are part of what some in the industry call the “four percenters,” referring to the small percentage of the population with the multitasking ability, emotional control, and rapid decision-making needed to thrive in this line of work. That label is not hyperbole. For many, it’s a badge of honor.
And yet, dispatchers are often left out of the broader conversation about public safety. They don’t wear a badge. They don’t ride in ambulances. They don’t get the spotlight. But without them, the system collapses. Help doesn’t arrive. Information gets lost. Lives are put at greater risk.
Portage County’s dispatchers deserve more than a week of appreciation — they deserve year-round recognition, better resources, and a public that understands their value. Their calm voices guide people through their darkest moments. Their swift actions save lives. They are the calm in the chaos.
So this week, take a moment to say thank you. Not just in passing — but with purpose. Because behind every siren in Portage County is a voice that made it happen.