Apr. 11, 2019
On Friday, April 12, 2019, the Kansas City Regional 911 System will celebrate 911 calltakers and emergency dispatch personnel for the critical role they play in keeping our communities safe.
The 22nd annual Telecommunicators Appreciation Celebration and Outstanding Performance Awards takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Gallery, located at 61 E.14 Street in Kansas City, Missouri 64105.
The Mid-America Regional Council hosts the annual event in recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week — a time to honor the unsung heroes who answer calls from people facing potentially life-changing circumstances, dispatch appropriate emergency response teams to the scene, provide first responders with vital background information and conduct follow-up checks on officers in the field.
Approximately 400 public safety personnel from 33 public safety agencies will to attend this year’s celebration.
Outstanding Performance Awards will be presented to the following individuals:
- Everyday Hero Award: Elizabeth Hoon, Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Police Department; Gale Wash, Johnson County, Kansas, Emergency Communications Center; and Master Deputy Eric Wright, Johnson County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Office
- Outstanding Individual Performance in a Critical Incident: Elisabeth Riley, Sugar Creek, Missouri, Police Department and Tammi Poplar, Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department
- Outstanding Team Performance in a Critical Incident: David Gibbs, Cruz Gillespie, Allison Ray, Kayla Sell – Miami County Sheriff’s Office and Robyn Brown, Rita Hye, Cynthia Jones, Laura Lewis, Christina McCool, Kristina McCullough, Taylor Mills, Erica Reyes, Gabriell Vega – Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department
- Outstanding Training Performance: Kellene Lyman, Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Police Department and Master Deputy Bradley Webb, Johnson County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Office
- Outstanding PSAP Leader: Christina Hays, Independence, Missouri, Police Department
- Outstanding Multi-Agency Performance: American Medical Response; Independence Police Department; Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department; Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department; LifeFlight Eagle; Sugar Creek Police Department
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeane Fracassa, Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department and Mindi Lobner, Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department
Serving 10 counties, the regional 911 system has nearly 700 dispatchers at 44 public safety answering points that handle approximately 4 million 911 and administrative calls annually. The regional 911 system includes Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray counties in Missouri, and Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.
