York Region Honours Emergency Communicators

NEWMARKET – Emergency communicators – "the voice of 9-1-1" – from across York Region were honoured for the often unrecognized role they play in emergency response.

 

The Tri-Services Emergency Communicators Awards were presented last night at the York Region Administrative Centre for exemplary on-the-job performance to communicators from each of the police, fire and ambulance agencies serving York Region.

 

The Awards were established as an annual event in York Region in 1996 as a way to recognize public safety telecommunications professionals from police, fire and ambulance agencies for the important role they play in providing 9-1-1 emergency assistance to the public.

 

The awards are part of York Region's annual Tri-Services Emergency Communicators Appreciation week which provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the proper use of the 9-1-1 emergency response system.

 

Along with the 9-1-1 Professional Awards, York Regional Chair and CEO Bill Fisch and York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge presented a Junior 9-1-1 award to four-year-old Stefan Holosko of Markham, who, as a three-year-old, was able to call 9-1-1 for assistance when his mother hurt her back and couldn't make it to the telephone.

 

Professional Award recipients for 2005 are:

 

Ambulance Communication Awards

 

• Outstanding Performance of a Call Taker: Heather Chmara, Georgian C.A.C.C.    
• Outstanding Performance of a Dispatcher: Connel Bannerman
• Oustanding Performance of a Platoon: Lorraine Taylor (Supervisor), Carrie Admas, Tara Fox, Katherine Dempster, Devon Coulson-Febbraro, Jason Lemon, Kathleen Rusk, Lisa Egan, Peggy-Sue Bouchard, Sheila Kingshott, Heather Chmara
 
Fire Communications Awards

 

• Outstanding Performance of a Platoon: Mary Carr, Kevin Ash (Vaughan Fire and Emergency Services)
• Supervisor of the Year: Mike Gottlieb (Markham Fire and Emergency Services)

 

Police Communications Awards

 

• Outstanding Performance of a Call Taker: Leigh Bonnis
• Outstanding Performance of a Dispatcher: Lindsey Coleman
• Outstanding Performance of a Platoon – "D" Jackie Wrigglesworth (Assistant Supervisor), Cheryl Percival, Preet Khangura, Sue Dodgson, Jennifer Pike, Carol Frank, Jason Gray, Erin McDonald, Leigh Bonnis, Nick Tsaktsiris, Melissa Nelson, Andrea Shaw, Kimberley Wicks, Kathy Becker, Barbara Harras

 

Tri-Services Emergency Communicators Appreciation week continues with a mall display of emergency vehicles and 9-1-1 demonstrations on Saturday, April 16th at the Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre at Hwy. 404 and Vaughan Mills Drive in the City of Vaughan.

 

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Media Contact:   Joan Prentice, Public Education Coordinator
Emergency Management, York Region
(905) 830-4444 or 1-877-464-9675, Ext. 1230
Email: joan.prentice@york.ca

 

Ken Turriff, Corporate Communications, York Region
(905) 830-4444 or 1-877-464-9675, ext. 1226
Email: ken.turriff@york.ca