San Jose Earthquakes Show Appreciation for the 9-1-1 Community

Major League Soccer team to host 9-1-1 professionals at game on April 24

 

In recognition of National 9-1-1 Education Month, the San Jose Earthquakes will salute a group of local 9-1-1 professionals at Avaya Stadium on April 24 as the Quakes take on Sporting Kansas City.

 

The Quakes and their stadium sponsor, Avaya, are rolling out the red carpet by arranging:

·        Free tickets for 50 San Jose-area 9-1-1 call takers, courtesy of Avaya;

·        A “first kick” at the game by hero dispatcher Kristi Wilson of San Jose Police Communications;  

·        A special #ThankYou911 campaign tribute video; and

·        Special greetings and outreach by Quakes players to the public safety community.

 

Staff from NENA: The 9-1-1 Association will be on site to engage with members of the public and provide further information about the organization’s #ThankYou911 campaign. At thankyou911.org, visitors can submit thank you messages, photos, and videos or donate to the campaign to support scholarships and wellness programs for   9-1-1 professionals. 

 

“We tend to take the work of 9-1-1 professionals for granted, but they are vital to the safety of our community,” said Dave Kaval, president of the San Jose Earthquakes. “During National 9-1-1 Education Month, the least we can do is show our appreciation. Our team is thankful to each and every 9-1-1 call taker for the compassion, diligence and bravery they show daily.” 

 

“We are grateful that the San Jose Earthquakes have given their time and energy to help raise awareness of the hard-working 9-1-1 community,” said Joey McDonald, Communications Division Manager for the San Jose Police Department. “We are a team of professionals that is dedicated to handling every emergency call with accuracy and excellence. We are honored to serve the San Jose community and will continue to find innovative ways to connect our citizens with the appropriate public safety channels.”

 

“Avaya is proud to support our nation’s first first responders, who often go unrewarded as they answer more than 240 million calls to 9-1-1 each year,” said Mark J. Fletcher, ENP, NENA Institute board member and chief architect for Worldwide Public Safety Solutions at Avaya. “Avaya Stadium is a great example of how Next Generation communications are emerging and evolving, and we are excited to showcase that technology to the heroes behind 9-1-1.”

 

“Every day, 9-1-1 professionals serve as the first responders in thousands of emergencies across the country,” said Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA. “They serve under tremendous stress and often do not know the outcome of the calls they take. This is our way of reminding people to say ‘thank you’ to these unsung heroes of public safety.”  

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About NENA: The 9-1-1 Association

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) serves its more than 10,000 members and the greater public safety community as the only non-profit professional organization solely focused on 9-1-1 policy, technology, operations, and education issues. NENA exists to ensure that 9-1-1 is prepared to meet the needs of all citizens making requests for assistance by developing standards and resources for 9-1-1 systems and operations; providing education, training, and certifications for 9-1-1 professionals; informing policymakers about issues facing 9-1-1; and educating the public about 9-1-1 systems, their importance, and their proper uses. Learn more at www.nena.org.