9-1-1 Professionals to Be Saluted During College Bowl Games

For the first time ever, America?s 9-1-1 professionals will be honored as part of America?s college football bowl-game season.

The broadcasts of 11 bowl games will feature special #ThankYou911 messages of support for the first first responders in the emergency-response chain: the men and women of 9-1-1 who answer more than 240 million calls for help each year. The salute to 9-1-1 professionals ? sponsored by NENA: The 9-1-1 Association in collaboration with Comtech Safety & Security Technologies, RapidDeploy, and First Team Radio ? will air multiple times per game as part of the play-by-play broadcasts of the following games (all times Eastern and subject to change):

  • Myrtle Beach Bowl, Dec. 21 at 2:30PM, Appalachian St. vs. North Texas
  • Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 22 at 3:30PM, Tulane vs. Nevada
  • Montgomery Bowl, Dec. 23 at 7PM, Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic
  • Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, Dec. 26 at 12PM, South Carolina vs. UAB
  • SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, Dec. 26 at 3:30PM, Louisiana vs. UTSA
  • LendingTree Bowl, Dec. 26 at 3:30PM, West. Kentucky vs. Georgia State
  • FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl, Dec. 26 at 7:30PM, Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina
  • Duke?s Mayo Bowl, Dec. 30 at 12PM, Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin
  • Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 31 at 12PM, Tulsa vs. Mississippi State
  • Vrbo Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1 at 1PM, Auburn vs. Northwestern
  • Outback Bowl, Jan. 2 at 12:30PM, Ole Miss vs. Indiana

The games will air on more than 100 affiliated radio stations across the United States, as well as on SiriusXM, TuneIn.com, and Radio.com, reaching millions of fans with the #ThankYou911 message.

?America?s 9-1-1 professionals are the unsung heroes of public safety, and we?re working to change that,? said NENA President Gary Bell. ?While they may not be as visible as field responders, 9-1-1-center personnel are just as vital. Throughout the COVID crisis, our nation?s 9-1-1 professionals have been there for America, 24/7. We thank them and hope that college football fans listening to the games will take a moment to do the same.?

?Dispatchers demonstrate extraordinary skill and endure incredible stress as they help people in crisis and coordinate emergency responses more than 650,000 times every day,? said Kent Hellebust, President at Comtech Safety & Security Technologies. ?We are grateful to them and glad to help shine a spotlight on their heroism.? 

?RapidDeploy thanks America?s 9-1-1 dispatchers for the critical role they play in making our communities better, our field responders more effective, and our families and neighbors safer,? said Kimberly Storin, Chief Market Officer at RapidDeploy. ?During these uncertain times, our 9-1-1 professionals? dedication to serving the public has never wavered. It?s more important than ever that we all come together to say #ThankYou911.?

NENA?s #ThankYou911 campaign raises public awareness of 9-1-1 professionals and generates expressions of support for the crucial public services they provide. Members of the public are invited to learn more, share pictures and stories, and contribute to education and wellness programs at ThankYou911.org or by texting ?NENA? to 71777. Fans also can say thanks on Facebook and Twitter (@911NENA911) using the hashtag #ThankYou911.