KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - In recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 11 - 17, 2005, Public Health - Seattle & King County and its King County Emergency Medical Services Division honored the work of emergency 9-1-1 dispatchers through the Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year awards.

"Providing life-saving instructions to citizens over the phone is a critical activity performed by our 9-1-1 dispatchers," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "We want to recognize the important role dispatchers play in providing assistance during medical emergencies."

This year’s award winners include Mel Larson from Eastside Communications Center, based in Bellevue, and Shaun Lawrence from Valley Communications Center in Kent. Both Ms. Larson and Ms. Lawrence were recognized for sustained exemplary performance during the year. Peggy Morstad from Eastside Communications and Aaron Siegrist from the King County Sheriff’s Office each received an award for exemplary handling of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) incident in recognition of their team effort in providing medical assistance to a caller during a shooting incident in rural King County.

“Emergency Medical Dispatchers are the gatekeepers of our EMS system. They are the first to speak to persons reporting medical emergencies and their part in managing resources and providing critical pre-arrival instructions is extremely important,” said Thomas Hearne, Manager for the Emergency Medical Services Division of Public Health – Seattle & King County.

Eastside Communications Center provides police, fire and medical dispatching for local law enforcement, fire and paramedic agencies in the east and north regions of King County. Valley Communications Center provides the same services for south King County. Approximately 95,000 emergency calls for medical assistance are processed each year by both communications centers.

King County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operates in a coordinated partnership with four dispatch centers, six paramedic providers, and 35 fire departments. Funded through a countywide EMS/Medic One Levy, King County EMS utilizes a layered-response system providing a continuum of care for people in need of emergency medical services. For more information on King County EMS, visit www.metrokc.gov/health/ems

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