A 14-year veteran has been named Red Deer’s 911 Emergency Dispatcher of the Year.
Carla Lachman was honoured for her service Wednesday as part of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week this week.
Lachman is a qualified communications officer who works out of the Red Deer 911 Emergency Communications Centre. She was nominated by her peers for her dedication, professionalism, leadership and for always going above and beyond to help her coworkers.
Cindy Sparrow, assistant deputy chief of 9-1-1 emergency communications in Red Deer, said Lachman is a “top-notch” employee.
“Carla is an absolutely high performing emergency dispatcher,” said Sparrow. “She was nominated for her ability to teach and mentor, and for always inspiring colleagues to strive for excellence.”
Lachman teaches new recruits, “and she does it with excellence and professionalism,” said Sparrow.
Last year, the centre’s emergency dispatchers answered just under 146,000 calls last year, averaging about 400 calls per day. From helping to deliver babies or get someone out of a burning building, the dispatchers have helped in just about any emergency situation.
“We stay on the line and ask yes and no questions such as ‘are you safe? Can you tell us where you are? We can ask them questions in a way that doesn’t give away they have called 911,” said Sparrow.
The centre received about 11,000 hangups last year. Sparrow said when someone calls 911 and hangs up, the dispatchers are obligated to call back and ensure the caller is safe.
“If that happens, just stay on the line, we just want to know that you’re all right,” she said.
Sparrow said emergency dispatchers are compassionate people, who genuinely want to help others, and deal with them possibly on the worst days of their lives.
“You have to be able to reach through and help them out and keep yourself calm at the same time,” she said.
It’s not an easy job, but a rewarding one, she said.
The dispatch centre is on 32 Street in Red Deer and monitors calls from Central Alberta.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
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