Letter: Dedicated dispatchers make community better

Published 6:45 am Thursday, April 25, 2024

To the Editor:

Every year, the second week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. As we celebrate, I would like to take a moment to recognize Grant County’s outstanding dispatchers.

The Grant County Emergency Communications Agency (911 Center) employs four full-time dispatchers, one part-time dispatcher, and two reserve dispatchers. Together we total 107 years of experience and over 5,500 training hours.

Emergency dispatching requires a delicate balance of kindness and assertiveness. We act as therapists, negotiators, detectives, parents, a road report database, and occasionally a GPS. As dispatchers, it is our duty to ensure the safety of the public by offering the highest quality of compassionate service. It is our duty to ensure our partnering first responders make it home safely after every shift. Dispatching is a demanding profession where perfection is expected, but it is so incredibly rewarding.

As a director, it is an honor to work with such phenomenal dispatchers. Grant County is blessed to have a team serving them that cares so deeply and loves their community. Their hard work does not go unnoticed and is appreciated!

Thank you for all of your hard work, Angia Hannibal, Lori Shepherd, Zach Shoop, Simon Gee, Valerie Maynard and Suzanne Settle! You make our community a better place!

Cammie Haney, 911 Director

John Day