Ottawa Police communicators take top spot in annual Telecommunicator Week fundraiser

For one week each year, the voices behind the headsets take center stage.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is a time to recognize the emergency communicators who answer the calls most people hope they never have to make. They are the first point of contact during someone’s worst day.

From April 13 to 19, Ottawa’s public safety communicators were celebrated for the critical work they do every day. But alongside the appreciation, recognition, and well-earned fun, another tradition returned.

For the fourth consecutive year, Ottawa Police Service Communications, Ottawa Fire Services, and Ottawa Paramedic Service faced off in a lighthearted fundraising challenge, each service competing for bragging rights while raising money for a cause that matters.

In previous years, funds have supported organizations including the Ottawa Food Bank, the Ottawa Humane Society, and CHEO. This year, the recipient is the Ottawa First Responders Foundation.

As donations came in throughout Telecommunicator Week, the competition remained close. But when the final numbers were tallied, Ottawa Police Service claimed this year’s title.

Representatives from Ottawa Police, Ottawa Fire Services, and Ottawa Paramedic Service gathered at a local fire station to celebrate the collective effort and present a cheque for $2,390 to the Ottawa First Responders Foundation.

Founded by Brenda Tirrell after a conversation with a fellow firefighter following a traumatic experience, the Ottawa First Responders Foundation was built on a simple but powerful realization: those who spend their careers helping others often need support themselves.

First responders are exposed to trauma every day—sometimes multiple times a day. 

The Foundation aims to change the way support is delivered—not by waiting until someone is in crisis, but by taking a proactive approach to mental wellness, resilience, education, and support for first responders and their families.

Because when someone needs help, they call first responders.