SLC 911 launching new mental health tool to offer support for first responders

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Salt Lake City is launching a new mental health tool for the first responders behind 911 calls as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

From April 13 to 19, officials will be highlighting and sharing the stories of first responders on Salt Lake City social media accounts. To ensure that first responders are being supported, SLC 911 will also be launching Mindbase, a platform dedicated to providing wellness resources.

Mindbase will provide mental health tools dedicated to addressing burnout and trauma in real-time. It will feature anonymous check-ins and insight for leadership to track and support team well-being.

“Our dispatchers are the calm in the storm for so many in our community,” said Lisa Kehoe, Director of SLC 911. “Every call they answer is an opportunity to help someone in need, and they take that responsibility to heart. I’m incredibly proud of the compassion, professionalism, and pride our team brings to this vital work every single day. They are the unseen lifeline behind every emergency response, and their commitment to serving this community is nothing short of heroic.”

The Salt Lake City 911 Bureau serves both Salt Lake City and Sandy. According to a press release, it includes 61 dispatchers, eight supervisors, and six administrators. The release states that last year the bureau answered 653,018 calls and assisted in delivering four babies.

Also in 2024, SLC 911 earned the recognition of the Utah Association of Public Safety Communications Officials in handling the Sandhurst Fire. Kehoe was also awarded the 2024 Director of the Year Award by the National Emergency Number Association Utah Chapter.

“Every emergency response in our city starts with a voice on the other end of the line—and that voice makes all the difference,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “Our dispatchers are calm in chaos, steady in crisis, and deeply committed to the people they serve. Salt Lake City is safer because of their work, and I’m profoundly grateful for the personal care they bring to every call.”