Every day, 911 telecommunicators are the calm, cool and collected voice on the other end of a usually chaotic situation. They are the first point of contact for emergencies involving police, fire, rescue, EMS and first responders.
Every year during the second week of April, telecommunicators across the nation are honored during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. The event was initially set up in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California, and it is a time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public.
In McDowell County, 16 telecommunicators are on the front lines of 911 Communications, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The center is staffed with five telecommunicators during peak hours with three to four telecommunicators working during off-peak hours. During this particularly difficult time in our country, their service to the community is critical.
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“I’m so proud and thankful for all our staff members at the 911 center. These dedicated employees come to work each day and serve with such professionalism and compassion,” said Emergency Services Director William Kehler. “They are the silent heroes working diligently behind the scenes to protect not only the citizens who are calling for help but also the emergency personnel who are being dispatched to the incident site. The work these men and women do daily saves countless lives. I’m extremely grateful for their dedicated service and their team approach to all situations.”
In 2019, McDowell telecommunicators fielded 120,097 phone calls and logged 88,401 calls for service.
“We have such a strong team. During our current crisis I have been so proud of their performance,” said 911 manager Amberlie Buff. “I appreciate them so much for continuing our day to day operations along with picking up new changes every single day as new protocols unfold.”
The telecommunicators that serve McDowell County are Kyle Arrowood, Brianna Blake, Nancy Bruner, Karissa Burris, Sgt. Anna Byrd, Brandi Duncan, Sgt. Ann Marie Hall, Patricia Hensley, Sgt. Lacey Hink, Caleb Marlowe, Stephanie Pace, Jessica Pitman, Jason Ross, Sgt. Karen Stepp, Sabrina Taylor, Buff, Deputy Director Craig Walker and 911 Addressing Coordinator Angie Wright, 911 Addressing Assistant Derek Carlson, along with many dedicated part-time staff.
The commitment to your profession is appreciated by all of McDowell County, the public safety communications community and the citizens you serve.
911 Communications in McDowell County is located at 294 S. Main St., Marion. The non-emergency line is 652-4000. Dial 9-1-1 for emergencies only. For general information on COVID-19, dial 559-9683. For medical screenings dial 527-6687 or visit mcdowell.clearstep.health.
Follow McDowell 911/ Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter. Learn more at mcdowellem.com.
(Disclaimer: Group pictures were taken prior to COVID-19)
