PAW PAW – On Wednesday, July 10, the 911 Advisory Board recognized two Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers with awards.
Dispatcher Alison Dean was recognized with a Commendation/Life Saving Award for her handling of a fire call on May 7, 2024. Dispatcher Dean took a call from a male subject whose bedroom was on fire. The caller was disabled and unable to exit the home by himself and was trapped in their bed. Dispatcher Dean obtained detailed information of the caller’s location within the home where Van Buren County Sheriff’s Sgt. Paul Graham was able to quickly enter the burning residence and rescue the caller. Dispatcher Dean’s calm, professional, and exceptional performance was clearly instrumental in the caller surviving this fire.
Dispatcher Brooke Smith was recognized for two incidents:
Dispatcher Smith received her first “Stork Award” for her processing of a call on June 13, and the safe delivery of a baby. Dispatcher Smith quickly and calmly reassured a 20-year-old woman who was in active labor utilizing emergency medical protocols subsequently delivering a healthy baby girl, just 2-½ minutes after answering the initial 911 call. The mother and newborn daughter were eventually transported to the hospital for follow-up care.
Dispatcher Smith was recognized with a Life Saving Award for her quick action to save the life of a fellow dispatcher who experienced a medical emergency while on duty in the 911 Center. On June 21, 2024, a fellow 911 Dispatcher had a choking episode resulting in an airway obstruction. Dispatcher Smith, recognizing the emergency taking place with her partner, immediately requested help from Van Buren County Corrections staff and while on the phone provided emergency medical care to her fellow dispatcher. Due to her quick actions, and utilizing her training, her partner did not suffer any long-term effects and was able to immediately return to work. The dispatcher who had the emergency commented that “Brooke definitely saved my life.”
