HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS, Washington, D.C. -- For three decades, the nation has celebrated National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week during the second full week of April, which coincides with National 9-1-1 Education Month. This week celebrates the people on the other end of a 9-1-1 call when a person picks up the phone to call for help.
In honor of this year’s National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14-20, 2024, the U.S. Marine Corps invites its community and families to celebrate the people responsible for connecting them to critical resources in their greatest moments of need.
The Marine Corps Installations Command’s Emergency Dispatch Services Awards Program recognizes the most outstanding public safety communications center and public safety telecommunicators who achieve the highest degree of excellence in support of the public safety mission, promoting esprit de corps within the emergency dispatch services community and acknowledging their essential role in emergency response and protection of the Marine Corps community.
Congratulations to the following winners on their selection as the recipients of the 2023 MCICOM Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year, Public Safety Shift Supervisor of the Year, Public Safety Communications Center Supervisor of the Year, and Public Safety Communications Center of the Year.
• Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year: Ms. Cynthia Lee, Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island and Ms. Kelley Arps, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow. Ms. Lee promotes team-centric camaraderie, embodies service before self, and facilitates a harmonious culture within the center. Her unwavering professionalism and dedication to duty sets a constant example for her team. Ms. Arps spearheaded the creation of an improved, streamlined operational procedure which led to decreased response times and has been implemented throughout the Marine Corps.
• Public Safety Shift Supervisor of the Year: Ms. Christine Whaley, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Ms. Whaley has been a catalyst for establishing the quality assurance program at Camp Lejeune, and her dedication to fostering the robust program enhanced the professional growth of the public safety telecommunicators with the center.
• Public Safety Communications Center Supervisor of the Year: Ms. Theresa Taylor, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. Ms. Taylor’s work, can-do attitude, and perseverance allowed the public safety communications center to increase their manning level by 20%. While performing her required duties she also filled gaps created by staffing shortages which included public safety telecommunicator and training officer duties. Her leadership by example has led to high morale within the public safety communication center team.
• Public Safety Communications Center of the Year: MCRD Parris Island. The team fosters an environment of collaboration and seamless communication between public safety telecommunicators who encompass all aspects of emergency dispatch services and emergency management. The public safety telecommunicators conduct 9-1-1 public education through a community outreach program both on and off the installation.
“During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of our 9-1-1 professionals. Like other first responders, 9-1-1 public safety telecommunicators willingly take on an extraordinary commitment to serve and protect installations’ populations and assets against an array of hazards and threats,” said George Berger, MCICOM Emergency Dispatch Services Program Manager.
Berger added that, “Our 9-1-1 professionals are the critical link to ensuring our entire public safety system succeeds in its missions and are the dedicated professionals who provide the calm voices that help a caller get through their worst moments - they are a true asset within our Installation Protection portfolio. It’s an honor for me to serve and support them. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is an opportunity for us to say thank you to the unseen heroes who help safeguard our communities.”
For further information on MCICOM, visit https://www.mcicom.marines.mil/.