They are the heart behind the voice.

Rarely seen, but always heard.

They’re calm in the darkest hours.

They are the dispatchers behind the scene.

The Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office celebrated the unsung heroes Tuesday as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. A week set aside to honor and recognize those who answer the 911 calls and dispatch emergency service.

Sheriff Doug Hebert III said dispatchers are the first line in public safety, but are often overlooked in what is often a stressful and thankless job.“These men and women do not get enough recognition,” Hebert said. “They are often unappreciated, but most often needed. They are the cog in the wheel. We don’t turn without them.”

He said dispatchers respond quickly to emergencies, playing a vital role in life-saving measures by connecting emergency services to the people who need it.

The safety of law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics and other first responders also depend on the information they receive from dispatchers who serve as a crucial link in responding to a crisis, he said.

Among those who serve is Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office Communications Supervisor and 911 Dispatcher Allison McCullough who oversees eight dispatchers. She has been a dispatcher for nearly 20 years, the last 14 years with the Sheriff’s Office.

“Dispatchers have an important role,” McCullough said. “We answer all phone calls coming in.”

Dispatchers at the sheriff’s office handle calls for the Sheriff’s Office, Oberlin Police Department, Elizabeth Police Department and Reeves Police Department. They also dispatch six rural fire departments, three ambulance services and the Ward 5 Marshal’s Office.

“Our job is to make sure our people go home to their families at the end of the shift and that people get the help they need when they need it,” McCullough said.

McCullough said the biggest challenge with the job is keeping calm even when it involves someone they know.

“You just have to remain calm and help them with their medical or other emergency until they get what they need,” she said. “You have to stay focused.”

McCullough said calls involving young children are the hardest to handle.

“You just have to keep your composure during the call and the rest of your shift,” she said. “Then at the end of the shift you can cry. This job is not for everyone.”

In addressing the dispatchers, Brother Robbie Rollins, of the First Baptist Church of Oakdale, said, “When people call you it’s more serious than calling to get a recipe or how to change a spark plug, it’s something going on in someone’s life.”

Pastor Keith Dickens of the Heart of Worship Church said it takes a special person to handle the job of a dispatcher.

He said dispatchers make a huge difference everyday in people’s lives by helping them through some of their worst times while showing compassion, understanding and professionalism while doing their job.