BUCKHANNON — Upshur County’s E911 telecommunicators were sworn in Thursday morning by county clerk Carol Smith during a special ceremony.

During Thursday’s Upshur County Commission meeting, commission president Sam Nolte, commissioners Kristie Tenney and Terry Cutright, county administrator Carrie Wallace and assistant county administrator Tabatha Perry headed up to the Upshur County E911 Communication Center for the swearing-in ceremony.

Telecommunicators, who answer the call when people dial 9-1-1, are on the front lines of emergency response services, and are the first people to interact with callers in distress.

Comm Center director Doyle Cutright said he’d requested Smith swear in the telecommunicators because of the crucial role they play in coordinating emergency services.

Cutright said telecommunicators were traditionally sworn in, in Barbour County, where he’s from.

“In talking with Carrie and the commission, I thought this was appropriate due to the nature of the type of work they’re engaged in,” Cutright said. “They’re an integral part of the first responder system.”

In addition to assistant Comm Center director Kimbra Wachob, telecommunicators Sandra Bowman, Brandi Walton, Michelle McIe, Roxanne Winters, Travis Anderson and Michelle White took an oath of office Thursday.