Author: Kristin McKinney

Written By Christy Williams, NCT9-1-1 Director

My heart is overflowing!  I just had the honor and privilege of tagging along while NCT9-1-1 staff delivered ECC gifts for National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week.

There was a day when visits to the 9-1-1 centers were part of my everyday life.  However, jobs change, responsibilities have evolved, and I rarely get this opportunity anymore.  You see, I began my 9-1-1 career in public education and training and then moved into a broader operations role.  These responsibilities kept me in the centers on a regular basis.

In my first days on the job, I was “schooled” by an amazing 9-1-1 dispatch manager.  Upon meeting me on my first visit to Johnson County SO, Beth Gilreath immediately called my boss and asked him if I could spend the week with her, learning what working in a 9-1-1 center meant.  That week set the stage for my entire career as I learned about the caring, resourceful, problem solving 9-1-1 telecommunicators in Johnson County.  I laughed until my side hurt, wiped tears from my eyes as emotions overcame me and gained a respect for these amazing people who called themselves 9-1-1 telecommunicators.  They were a true family, and they took care of their deputies, field responders and their community.  They worked as a team and got the job done, regardless of the circumstances.  I previously had no idea what went on behind the scenes.  Although I didn’t understand it all at the time, I knew these were special people with a calling and a purpose and I wanted to help them.  My first contribution was small.  They needed a large wall map (no there were no 9-1-1 computers for GIS maps in 1991).  I went back to my office and asked a database coordinator to print a large map of the county and I spent several days coloring that map with colored pencils to differentiate the cities, fire districts and ETJs.  It warmed my heart each time I went back to that center and saw how they used that map on the wall regularly.  I was hooked.  I knew I needed to find tools and train these wonderful people to try to make their job a little easier and their day a little brighter.

I was rarely in my office as my time was better spent in the communities we serve and in the 9-1-1 centers.  I got to know the supervisors and 9-1-1 telecommunicators and spent time with them training, talking about their problems and challenges as well as potential resources and tools.  If I was lucky, they would share about a victorious call, although I usually had to pry those stories out of them as they were “just doing their job” and didn’t feel those success stories were any big deal.  But I wanted the world to know about these great people and what they did so I began nominating them for awards and pitching positive stories to the media about these 9-1-1 heroes.  I invited 9-1-1 telecommunicators to attend community education events and school presentations with me to educate about 9-1-1.  They became my TAG (Together Accomplishing Goals) team and allowed us to scale our educational efforts over 14 counties. Above and beyond all that, they became my friends.

While I knew there were frustrations about the job from our conversations and training, and I understood it was a challenge to keep out the negativity of being underpaid, underappreciated and working shiftwork, all I could see when I was in a 9-1-1 center was their hearts. They were “my people” and they drove me to share their mission of saving lives and making a difference.  While I knew I could never do what they did, I had to do what I could to facilitate positive change and improvements for 9-1-1.   This is why NCT9-1-1 became early adopters.

Years later after I had been promoted and didn’t get to spend as much time in the centers, I went to an ECC.  When I walked up to the window, instead of being met with hugs, “Christy is here” or even “the 9-1-1 lady is here”, I was asked for my ID.  I conducted my business with strangers that day as there had been turn over and too much time had passed since I visited regularly.  When I returned to my car I cried.

I heard a podcast recently where they were talking about finding your people and your purpose.  I’m embarrassed to admit that I actually had to think about that for a moment.  But today, after spending a short time with wonderful 9-1-1 telecommunicators and supervisors, it hit me like a brick.  These are still my people and serving them is my purpose.  As I listened about their staffing challenges and what they were doing to improve things, I was so proud of them.  They discussed mental health openly and my appreciation for them swelled.  I am so thankful for the selfless service they provide!

9-1-1 telecommunicators in the North Central Texas Region and around the country – you remind me of why I am here.  You encourage me that dealing with politics and red tape is worth it, you motivate me to continue to strive for positive change.  Most of all you inspire me.  I am in awe of your sacrifices, your service and your heart.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.  Happy Telecommunicator’s Week!

Written By Destanie Ontiveros, NCT9-1-1 Communications Coordinator

Every year, the second week of April is recognized as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW). This week is designated to celebrate and honor those who dedicate their lives to serving the public in 9-1-1. 9-1-1 telecommunicators act as the first line of communication between citizens and the officers, fire personnel, or paramedics who respond. To show your appreciation this week, you can write thank you cards to 9-1-1, donate food and goods if you have a business, or give a shout out to local 9-1-1 telecommunicators on your social media platforms.

A great way to show your appreciation is by writing a thank you note! A handwritten note thanking your local 9-1-1 telecommunicators is a great gesture of appreciation and celebration. If you have kids at home or in school, this idea will definitely spark their creative side! A handwritten thank you note can be a creative and fun way to express your appreciation during NPSTW! Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) operate as a family, and every family loves a handmade token of appreciation.

Another way to celebrate your local 9-1-1 ECC is to donate food or goods, if you can! Donating baked goods is a great way to show your appreciation to anyone. Considering 9-1-1 telecommunicators work long shifts, they are more than happy to receive gifts that provide them energy to keep going. At the end of the day, everyone loves something a little sweet!

The easiest way to highlight or honor 9-1-1 telecommunicators is to post about them on your social media. This is a free way to honor and celebrate the hard work 9-1-1 telecommunicators do every day. Using your social media accounts to highlight your local 9-1-1 ECC is a great way to spread appreciation and awareness of the work 9-1-1 telecommunicators do. If you decide to shout out your local 9-1-1 ECC, remember to tag them! Everyone loves receiving a job well done post, especially if it’s coming from the community they serve.

Recognizing the heroes behind the headset is something NCT9-1-1 does regularly. It is important we recognize, honor, and celebrate these amazing first responders. We hope these tips give you some ideas on how to celebrate your 9-1-1 ECC and all the hard work your local 9-1-1 telecommunicators do.

Written By: Destanie Ontiveros, NCT9-1-1 Communications Coordinator

It’s Spring Break time here in Texas! Spring break is a wonderful opportunity to relax and decompress whichever way you see fit. Whether you are traveling or staying home this spring break season, the North Central Texas Emergency Communications District (NCT9-1-1) would like to share some spring break safety tips to help you stay safe. Some suggestions are to watch the weather, do not overshare on social media, stay aware of your surroundings, and most importantly, know your location.

Everyone knows how unpredictable the weather can be here in Texas. One recommendation to take into consideration is to keep a watchful eye out for the weather. The weather can sometimes make or break your plans. To have a safe and less stressful spring break, it is recommended to plan around the weather. For some traveling out of state, the weather in other locations might be more important. If you are planning to travel outside of Texas this spring break, it is recommended you watch the weather of your destination and the local weather. Nothing slows you down on the road more than getting caught in bad weather, especially when heading out of state.

As much as we all love sharing with friends and family our great spring break plans and updates, it is recommended to not overshare important information like your location and plans on social media. Whether you have your social media accounts set to private or public view, people can still access information you put out on the internet. Because of this, it is recommended to not share your current location or plans on social media.  Instead, consider posting pictures of your spring break after your trip!

Being vigilant of your surroundings is something everyone should be doing at all times. When it comes to being in a new or unfamiliar place, this may seem like an automatic thing to do. Given the circumstances of traveling, being aware of your surroundings is very important, especially if you need to leave suddenly or call 9-1-1.  When traveling, you may be focused on different things, but keep in mind that staying vigilant to your surroundings is important.

Speaking of staying aware of your surroundings, let’s talk about why it is important to know your location this spring break season. In the worst-case scenario, if you find yourself in an unfamiliar or new location and need 9-1-1 assistance, knowing your location will help 9-1-1 better assist you. You can know your location by looking up the physical address, becoming familiar with important landmarks around you, or using the What3Words app. The What3Words app can locate your exact location every 10 by 10 square feet. The What3Words app is a great tool to use in an area that doesn’t necessarily have an address, like a beach or hiking trail. To learn more about What3Words, visit our What3Words blog here.

When it comes to spring break, we all want to have fun and unwind. By keeping keep an eye on the weather, not oversharing important information on social media, staying vigilant of your surroundings, and always knowing your location, you can ensure to enjoy your trip more. NCT9-1-1 hopes these spring break safety tips help you stay safe this spring season and enjoy this well-deserved break!

Written By Destanie Ontiveros, NCT9-1-1 Communications Coordinator

Happy Women’s History Month! In 1980, then-President Jimmy Carter declared March second-eighth as Women’s History Week. After realizing there’s too much women’s history to squeeze into seven days, Congress passed the Public Law 100-9 in 1987, proclaiming March as Women’s History Month. This month has deep importance for women.

The North Central Texas Emergency Communications District (NCT9-1-1) reflects on the accomplishments and contributions of women all around the world during this Women’s History Month. NCT9-1-1 would like to spotlight influential women who helped shape the 9-1-1 industry in Texas as we know today: Toni Dunne, Sherry Decker, Laverne Hogan, and Christy Williams.  Women’s History Month is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and celebrate and NCT9-1-1 is honored to have had and continue to work with influential women in the 9-1-1 industry.

Toni Dunne is a certified Emergency Number Professional (ENP) with over 32 years in the public safety industry. Toni’s array of experience includes training and accessibility programs, Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) relations, and government and regulatory affairs. Toni currently serves as a Customer Service Manager for Motorola Solutions where she works with customers and 9-1-1 service providers to transition to the Next Generation platform for 9-1-1. Toni has been recognized by Telecommunications for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Inc. (TDI) as one of the 30 individuals in the United States who have produced the greatest impact on 9-1-1 telecommunicators accessibility. On the 50^th Anniversary of 9-1-1, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) recognized Toni in the top 50 individuals in the conceptions and development of 9-1-1. Toni has been instrumental in aiding and developing accessible 9-1-1 to the Deaf & Hard of Hearing community in Texas. Toni’s continuous hard work and dedication to the accessibility of 9-1-1 has made her one of the trailblazing women we’d like to recognize this month.

Sherry Decker, Tarrant County 9-1-1 Director, has been in public safety for over 40 years. Sherry serves as a voice for 9-1-1 telecommunicator with her contributions to Texas Nine one-one Trainers (TNT), Texas Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT), Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), as well as serving on the Texas NENA Board. Sherry co-founded TNT as their leader and facilitator for many years. Sherry also worked on the TERT training curriculum to get the training online through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With involvement in TCOLE, Sherry represented 9-1-1 to the group that was at the time, made up of Fire, EMS, and Police. Sherry served as the Texas NENA president from 2010-2012. With her efforts and contributions made to 9-1-1 in the state of Texas, she has made a lasting and positive effect on the 9-1-1 industry.

The late Laverne Hogan was the founding director of the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network. Laverne was a pioneer for 9-1-1 within Texas and was the first Texas NENA president. Laverne’s exceptional management style and supportive people skills allowed her to develop an advanced and nationally recognized 9-1-1 system. Laverne served as a voice to represent the importance of 9-1-1 funding to the Texas senate. Laverne has become an unforgettable leader within the 9-1-1 industry and was a trailblazer for the 9-1-1 industry whose legacy lives on in memory and spirit.

Christy Williams, NCT9-1-1 Director, has been amongst the group of significant people who introduced, implemented, and solidified text to 9-1-1 technology solutions in Texas. With over 30 years in the public safety industry, Christy served as the President for NENA from 2014-2016. Christy chaired the national NENA Public Education Committee through the Operations Committee for seven years and served on the national NENA Educational Advisory Board for 13 years. Christy won the prestigious Laverne Hogan Award in 2011. Christy is an Early Adopter of 9-1-1 technology and operations and co-founded the Early Adopter Summit (EAS). The EAS is held annually and brings together disrupters and innovative industry partners with public safety representatives who are driving the transformation of 9-1-1 and filling the centers with new technologies, operational strategies, and governance. Christy is an early adopter who continues to inspire servant leadership and technological advances in the 9-1-1 industry.

These women have been great examples of success within the 9-1-1 industry and have opened doors and opportunities for others.  By setting precedent examples and opportunities within the 9-1-1 industry, Toni Dunne, Sherry Decker, Laverne Hogan, and Christy Williams are among the many women who deserve a highlight during Women’s History Month.