On July 21, Police Radio Telecommunicator Khari Tukufu with the Memphis Police Department Emergency Communications Bureau received a call reporting an active shooter and bomb threat situation inside St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Teammates-in-Action: Nzinga Withers, Memphis Police Department (Tennessee)
On March 13, Police Radio Telecommunicator Nzinga Withers received a call from a woman who had returned home from an errand to find her boyfriend inside their residence suffering from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. Although the caller was extremely distraught and struggling to communicate clearly, Withers remained fully engaged, attentive and composed throughout the call.
Teammates-in-Action: Jessica Walters, Robeson County 9-1-1 (North Carolina)
Jessica Walters has demonstrated exceptional performance during multiple critical incidents, consistently going above and beyond the expectations of a Telecommunicator.
Teammates-in-Action: Fleisha Barks Lovett, Cannon County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications District (Tennessee)
Telecommunicator Fleisha Barks Lovett received a 9-1-1 call from a mother whose residence had unexpectedly lost water service. With an infant who needed to be fed, the mother was unable to prepare a bottle and had no immediate support available.
Teammates-in-Action: Lisa Strahla, KanComm Emergency Communications Center (Illinois)
On March 10, 2026, our community faced one of the most significant natural disasters in its history. What began as a forecasted severe thunderstorm escalated rapidly into a catastrophic event, overwhelming our center with an unprecedented volume and complexity of emergency calls.
Teammates-in-Action: Carynn Gayton, Laraway Emergency Communications Center
Amid a declared disaster that generated over 1,800 calls for service in just two hours handled by six on-duty telecommunicators, joined by leadership staff, every assisting 9-1-1 center responded with exceptional professionalism. Yet one neighboring telecommunicator’s actions rose above.
Teammates-in-Action: Dionne Tomkins, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
On February 24, 2024, in Sarasota, Florida, Public Safety Telecommunicator Dionne Tomkins was relieving main radios when a bank robbery was reported to dispatch. The bank location was on the county line. She quickly voiced the call to the zone unit and updated responding units as further information was received. Tomkins controlled the incident and […]
Teammates-in-Action: Britt Whitmire
This date of a notable action by Whitmire given of 2/23/2024 only comes to mind because it is the most recent date that Britt Whitmire worked overtime. That within itself may not sound special or unique.
Teammates-in-Action: Dispatcher Robin Donahue, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency
On March 14, 2024, Dispatcher Robin Donahue fielded a phone call from a female who was reporting the male she was with was having a mental health crisis.
Teammates-in-Action: Stephanie Stone, Tim Walters and Wade Davis, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office
A 9-1-1 call was received in the early afternoon hours of October 20, 2023, which led to a series of events. A distraught female was reporting a male intruder with a gun in her residence.
Teammates-in-Action: Derrik Gregg, Scottsdale Communications
On Friday, September 1, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at approximately 0238 hours, Communications Supervisor Derrik Gregg received a 9-1-1 call that disconnected shortly after he answered.
Teammates-in-Action: Lyz Wood, Pampa Police Department
On February 27, 2024, Telecommunications Operator Lyz Wood of the Pampa Police Department in Pampa Texas, was dealing with several wildfires that were threatening the city of Pampa and the county.
Teammates-in-Action: Telecommunicators Hake and Cummings, Williamson County Department of Emergency Services
On November 7, 2023, Williamson County Department of Emergency Services in Tennessee received a call for a fire in a wood line. That fire began to grow quickly from being small to peaking at 150 acres.
Teammates-in-Action: Raionna Temple, Mackenzie Bunker, Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications
This month’s Teammates in Action Awards go to two members of the Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications.
Teammates-in-Action: Amy Wilson, Northwest Central Dispatch System
On December 1, 2023, Telecommunicator Amy Wilson, of the Northwest Central Dispatch System in Illinois, answered a call for a subject with a knife at a residence.
Teammates-in-Action: Troop C, Missouri State Highway Patrol Communications
On September 11, 2023, what appeared to be a malicious attack on the REJIS system, agencies’ law enforcement printers were re-routed to Troop C.
Teammates-in-Action: Katie Minor, Karimah Young, Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications
On October 26, 2023, the Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications received a 9-1-1 call from a male who was driving his pregnant wife to the hospital.
Teammates in Action: Lesly Hernandez, Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications
On December 26, 2023, 9-1-1 Operator, Lesly Hernandez of the Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications answered a 9-1-1 call for an 88-year-old female who was suffering from chest pain and shortness of breath.
Teammates-in-Action: Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Communications Officer
On August 22, 2023, at 21:26, an Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Communications Officer processed an EMS call for a male patient who advised he had alcohol poisoning and wanted to go to detox.
Teammates in Action: Crystal Mazeika-Pahl
On November 21, 2023, Communications Operator Crystal Mazeika-Pahl fielded a phone call from a mother who reported her eleven-month-old infant had drowned in the bathtub
Teammates in Action: Misty Reid, Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications
On October 22, 2023, Telecommunicator Misty Reid with the Metro Nashville Department of Emergency Communications received a 9-1-1 call for a 79-year-old female who had fallen due to being short of breath.
Teammates in Action: Alexandra, Denver 911
She earned Denver’s “Stork Award” for completing the protocol perfectly and delivering the baby while on the phone with the grandmother.
Teammates in Action: Dillan Sutton, Krysten Keeney, Brittany Stroud, and Justin Davis, Missouri State Highway Patrol
Communications Operators Dillan Sutton, Krysten Keeney, Brittany Stroud, and Justin Davis handled an incident that escalated quickly and required an extensive amount of teamwork.
Teammates-in-Action: Corina Hunt, Guildford Metro 911
On 6/26/2023, in her first year at Guilford Metro 911, ECS Corina Hunt exhibited extraordinary courage, composure, and leadership during a critical emergency call. Her actions played a pivotal role in potentially saving a life.
