Emergency Communications

Mission

The public can count on us to efficiently and professionally disseminate ethical and multidisciplinary services, while also promoting departmental and personal employee growth.

Motto

Rising above and reaching beyond for dispatch excellence.

About Emergency Communications

The Franklin County Emergency Communication Center (FCECC) is an Accredited Center of Excellence recognized by the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch. The process of obtaining accreditation requires our Emergency Communications Center to meet over 70 performance, policy and procedure standards, while maintaining compliance of how calls are handled by the call taker. The FCECC is honored to be recognized as the second agency in the state of Kansas to obtain this accreditation. Having the ability to provide this community with a level of service that is the gold standard throughout the world is truly a gift.  

The FCECC serves all Franklin County agencies:

• Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
• Franklin County Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Ottawa Police Department
• Wellsville Police Department
• Ottawa Fire Department
• Kansas Highway Patrol
• Kansas Wildlife and Parks
• 8 Rural Franklin County Fire Departments

FCECC dispatchers handle all emergent and non-emergent calls, as well as all radio traffic for law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management. 

The FCECC answers approximately 60,000 phone calls and dispatches help to over 40,000 requests for service per year. That number does not include the number of radio transmissions that our dispatchers are also fielding on a 24/7 basis.

Dispatch Employees

Our Emergency Communication Center is in full operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days of the year. There are currently 10 dispatchers who primarily work in the center taking and dispatching calls. The FCECC maintains operations with four shifts of 2 employees each and two “float” shift employees. All dispatchers work 12 hour shifts and the “float” dispatcher works 12 hour shifts during the “rush hour” times.

Dispatchers must endure extensive training in order to be prepared to handle and call that may come in. Training continues throughout their employment. Dispatchers must have patience, capable to listen intently, be creative thinkers, and possess multitasking skills.

Dispatch employees never know what call is going to come in next. It could be someone who just found their loved one no longer breathing, a woman giving birth, or a noisy dog barking next door. Regardless, dispatchers must be able to clear their mind between each call and give their best to use quick thinking. Their job is to get help on the way, while keeping the public and the responders safe. Dispatching is a tough job but it comes with great rewards!

Interested in learning more about joining our team?
Click Here, we would love to hear from you!