Sussex public safety complex to host 9-1-1 Awareness Day

Though the name has changed, the mission of Sussex County’s public safety agency – and the yearly expo of first responders and emergency equipment showcasing that effort – remains the same. 

To give the public a behind-the-scenes look at how the facility and first responders serve the community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Sussex County Department of Public Safety will host its annual 9-1-1 Awareness Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, at its headquarters, formerly known as the Emergency Operations Center, 21911 Rudder Lane, near Georgetown.

This year’s event will feature a fun and information-filled day of safety demonstrations and emergency vehicles on display, from police K-9s subduing pretend perpetrators to fire trucks, emergency medical services units, and police units. The event is free and open to the public.

The annual expo gives citizens a better understanding of how the 9-1-1 center operates, and showcases how police, firefighters, medical personnel and emergency dispatchers work each day to save lives. The event also attracts hundreds of fifth-grade students from all over the county, who spend the day watching and taking part in demonstrations that reinforce safety and preparedness.

In addition to tours of the center and the adjoining EMS wing, displays and activities will include the Delaware State Police K-9 team, the Dagsboro Fire Company Safety House, and representatives from the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office, Delaware State Fire School, Delaware Emergency Management Agency, and Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. There will also be more than a dozen police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, paramedic units, and county and state mobile command centers on display.

The event is sponsored by Sussex County and the Delaware State Police, which jointly operate the 9-1-1 center.