Sussex County is putting a face and place on display when it comes to the voices behind 9-1-1. The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center will host its 18^th annual 9-1-1 Awareness Day, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, at the public safety complex, located at 21911 Rudder Lane, near Georgetown, to give the public a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the center and in the public safety realm 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

This year’s event will feature a fun and information-filled day of safety demonstrations and emergency vehicles on display, from police K-9s subduing pretend perpetrators to fire trucks, EMS units, and police units. The event is free and open to the public.

The event is held each year to give the public a better understanding of how the 911 center operates, as well as give citizens a glimpse into how police, firefighters, medical personnel and emergency dispatchers work each day to save lives. The event also attracts hundreds of fifth-grade students from throughout the county, who spend the day watching and taking part in demonstrations that reinforce safety and preparedness.

In addition to tours of the 911 center, displays and activities will include the Delaware State Police K-9 team, the Blades Fire Company Safety House, the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Delaware State Fire School, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Meantime, there will be more than a dozen police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, paramedic units, and County and State mobile command centers on display.

The event is sponsored by Sussex County and the Delaware State Police, which jointly operate the 911 center. For more information, contact Richard Short at (302) 855-7802 or Dennis Swain at (302) 855-2980.