By: Aly Pickett
Recently, for its second consecutive year, Zetron had the privilege of hosting the Golden Headset Awards in honor of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW). The awards are a celebration of the outstanding contributions and dedication of the extraordinary individuals who work as public safety telecommunicators. This year’s awards were a resounding success, with an overwhelming number of participants compared to the first year and an abundance of incredible entries that truly showcased the remarkable work done by these heroes across the nation.
The sheer volume of submissions made the task of selecting winners a daunting one, but it was our pleasure to read such heartfelt nominations that stood as testaments to the passion, professionalism and support exhibited by telecommunicators to their teams and communities.
This year’s winners:
- Outstanding Telecommunicator – Darrius Purnell of Richmond City Department of Emergency, Communications, Preparedness and Response in Virginia. “ECO Purnell has been a true team player. He is always willing to stay over or comeback in when staffing is short, so his fellow co-workers do not get mandated…” Read more about this nominee.
- Outstanding Telecommunicator Trainer – Cassie Speaks of West Central Joint ETSB 911 in Illinois. “Cassie began her career at West Central in July 2021, where she quickly showed us she will go above and beyond the call of duty in all areas of her work performance and her skills and knowledge, exhibited in all aspects of communications daily…” Read more about this nominee.
- Outstanding Telecommunicator Mentor – Linda Hollingsworth of Memphis Emergency Communications Bureau/Memphis Police in Tennessee. “I admire Ms. Linda Hollingsworth because of her professionalism and consistency. She comes to work every day ready to provide the best service to our callers and police officers. She is always cognizant of the seriousness and of the importance of her job as a telecommunicator…” Read more about this nominee.
- Outstanding Telecommunicator Team Leader – Michael Cahill of Charlottesville/ UVA/ Albemarle Emergency Communications Center in Virginia. “Michael has an innate desire for progress and employee well-being. He makes consistent sacrifices to ensure that nobody is slighted or forsaken in any capacity on the floor…” Read more about this nominee.
- Outstanding Emergency Communications Team – West Central Joint ETSB 911 in Illinois. “This team works together to support each other and shows up repeatedly for the community. As with most dispatch departments, we have seen a lot of turnover and we welcome each new employee with open arms…” Read more about this nominee.
- Team Spirit Trailblazer Awards – Ranee Michael & Ramsey Smith of North Richland Hills PD in Texas. “In October 2023, Dispatchers Ranee Michael and Ramsey Smith recognized we had a few team members struggling with health issues, loss of family members and a thank-you card that needed to be sent to another agency for assisting ours…” Read more about these nominees.
- Outstanding Collaboration – Zac Mann & Caitlan Reineke of Marshall County Communications Center in Iowa. “On June 22, 2023, at 0132 hours, the Marshall County Communications Center received a 9-1-1 emergency call about a house fire. Specialist Zac Mann received that call for help, during which the male caller immediately advised Specialist Mann he had five kids in the house and he couldn’t get to them…” Read more about these nominees.
We invite you to read the full winning submissions for the NPSTW Golden Headset Awards and learn more about the inspiring nominees behind them. Each of them serves as a poignant reminder of the profound impact that telecommunicators have across the country every day.
With NPSTW behind us, we find ourselves reflecting on these remarkable individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often unnoticed, yet crucially important in our emergency response system. These unsung heroes are the lifeline between those in distress and the help they desperately need.
Their unwavering commitment to public safety, their ability to remain calm under pressure and their seemingly endless compassion for others that drives them to go above and beyond—all makes them true heroes deserving of our recognition and care in return. To all the public safety telecommunicators out there, thank you for your service, your sacrifice and your unwavering dedication to keeping our communities safe.
As we look back on the success of this year’s Golden Headset Awards, we are already eagerly anticipating next year’s event. We look forward to continuing to honor and recognize the remarkable individuals working in emergency communications and shining a spotlight on their exceptional efforts.
