KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - This week, four local residents are being honored as King County Emergency Medical Dispatchers of the Year for their outstanding contributions to the public’s health and safety. As part of King County’s world-class Emergency Medical Services/Medic One system, emergency medical dispatchers protect the public’s health and safety everyday with critical medical advice to callers and by making quick decisions to get the best emergency medical care.

Given annually by Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Emergency Medical Services Division during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14-18, 2008, the awards recognize overall excellence and expert response to critical incidents.

"Our community’s emergency medical dispatchers are the lifeline for the thousands of callers who dial 911 for medical help every year,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “They all deserve our appreciation, and those being honored deserve our special thanks.”

This year’s award winners include Roseann Mills and Don Pederson from Valley Communications and Krystal McCoy and Becky Lucci from Eastside Communications. Ms. Mills and Ms. McCoy both received the award for sustained exemplary performance throughout the year.

Mr. Pederson and Ms. Lucci both received their awards for exemplary handling of a critical Emergency Medical Services incident. Ms. Lucci received her award for her skilled and calm response to an at-home childbirth, while Mr. Pederson was honored for his expert response for a child who was critically burned.

Event details:

• On Wednesday, April 16 at 2:30 p.m., Valley Communications Center will host an awards ceremony for their honored dispatchers at the Kent facility, 27519 108th Ave SE.
  
  
• On Thursday, April 17 at 11 a.m., Eastside Communications Center will host an awards ceremony for their honored dispatchers at Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Avenue NE. Media representatives should wait by the first floor elevators for an escort to the 7th floor.

“Emergency Medical Dispatchers play a critically important role as they evaluate patient signs and symptoms and provide life-saving instructions to bystanders over the telephone. They are an essential link in our emergency medical care system and a big reason why our survival rates from cardiac arrest are among the world’s best,” said Dr. Mickey Eisenberg, Medical Director for King County Emergency Medical Services Division of Public Health – Seattle & King County.

Eastside Communications provides police, fire and medical dispatching in the east and north regions of King County, managing approximately 43,000 emergency calls for medical assistance in 2007. Valley Communications provides police, fire and medical dispatching in south King County, managing approximately 57,000 emergency medical calls in 2007.

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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