Secretary Mary Elizabeth Heffernan
Secretary, Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
Secretary Heffernan's bio
I had the privilege for the second year in a row to attend and participate in the annual State 9-1-1 Awards Ceremony at the beautifully restored Mechanics Hall building in downtown Worcester. It was a grand affair and I was honored to have been the event keynote speaker.
But this ceremony wasn’t to highlight any accomplishment of mine, rather the men and women in the Commonwealth I very often refer to as the true “first responders” to the emergencies faced by the residents of this great state each and every day and the vitally important role they play in the delivery of public safety. 9-1-1 Telecommunicators in Massachusetts answered close to 4 million calls from citizens needing help last year.
9 Telecommunicators were honored this year for their outstanding performance and the extraordinary measures taken during emergency situations that led to a positive outcome of a 9-1-1 emergency call. While their recognition is well deserved, I believe all emergency Telecommunicators in Massachusetts deserve recognition for the work they do. How they react can determine the outcome of a serious situation. They’re nothing short of heroes. So to those honored at the 4th annual ceremony and to all others, from the people of Massachusetts I say thank you.
