The Telecommunicator of the Year Award is presented to an individual Telecommunicator in recognition of his/her commitment to public safety and his/her exemplary handling of a specific call for emergency assistance.  Consideration is given to skills and knowledge exhibited in the areas of communication and leadership, and the Telecommunicator’s ability to respond to unusual or special circumstances.

 

Nomination Criteria

 

Nominees must have been employed in the applicable category by a public safety or 9-1-1 administrative entity any time between January 1 and December 31 of the prior calendar year. Membership is encouraged, however nominees do not have to be members of NENA to participate. Persons submitting a nomination or being nominated must be residents on Texas.

 

Award Winner Receives

• Conference Registration

• 1 night hotel stay

 

Qualities:

• Functions as a front-line dispatcher or call taker for police, fire, and/or EMS agencies.

• Operates telecommunications equipment to receive emergency and non-emergency phone calls. 

• Determines situations from callers and ascertains all required information for the dispatch of a call.

• Relays information to a dispatcher (if a separate position) via CAD or manual dispatch cards.

• Operates radio equipment to dispatch first responder units to request emergency services, receives radio traffic from first responders, and monitors emergency and support radio frequencies.

• Maintains unit status and practices both decision-making and multitasking skills.

• Operates computer equipment to assist both officers and citizens with the retrieval of information.

• Maintains appropriate security and confidentiality of information created or encountered in the performance of assigned duties.