Latest news with #DispatcheroftheYear
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Geneva honors police
GENEVA — Members of the Geneva Police Department were honored on Monday evening during a city council meeting. Michael Smith, who joined the department in 2022, was named Officer of the Year and commended for his work making traffic stops in the city, Geneva Police Chief John Camper said. He said Smith also received the Ashtabula County Safe Communities Officer of the Year, as well. Brittany Brantley received the Dispatcher of the Year award, and was honored for her work in communicating information to other departments. Lynn Gersper was honored as part-time Officer of the Year. She has been on the department since 1975, Hamper said. He commended all the members of the department. 'You guys have been very easy to work with,' he said. Hamper discussed his hopes that the canine unit will be up and running by August, with Smith as the potential canine handler. City Councilman Jeff Griffiths asked Hamper to provide a full budget for the proposed program. Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette said the details of the program are still being decided, and council will have a chance to approve the program before it is finalized. Camper said he believes a canine unit is needed in the city. He said many city residents have asked him about a canine unit, which was discussed as a possible addition to the city during a 2019 levy campaign that passed by four votes. Camper said the department is 'more or less' at full staff, but still struggling to keep employees. He said the department will soon need a radio system update, new Tasers and body cameras.
Chicago Tribune
17-04-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Porter County 911 dispatchers get closure after meeting Matt Reum, trapped in his pickup for six days
It takes a special person not only to do the job of the 911 dispatcher, remaining cool under pressure for 12-hour shifts, but also to accept not knowing what becomes of the people you're helping after your colleagues arrive on scene and the call ends. Wednesday afternoon in celebration of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, Porter County E911 dispatchers enjoyed some rare closure with a visit from the survivior of one of the more dramatic emergencies they've worked and the men who found him. Matt Reum, of South Bend, was found by two fishermen under the Salt Creek Bridge on westbound Interstate 80/94 on the afternoon of Dec. 26, 2023, having been pinned by the engine block of his pickup truck for six days. Mario Garcia, of Hobart, and his son-in-law Nivardo De La Torre, of Portage, saw his barely-visible truck thanks to late-afternoon sun glinting off the metal. Upon closer investigation they found Reum inside and unconscious. 'I just seen the airbag and then I got the chills,' Garcia said. Reum soon woke up and was very happy to see them having survived on water he filtered through a pair of sweatpants as it dripped from a highway drainage pipe just above his sunroof. De La Torre called 911 and got Porter County E911 Dispatch Supervisor Jeremy Nemeth on the line. 'You were an amazing caller!' Nemeth praised him as De La Torre's wife, children, and mother-in-law looked on. 'He used a really revolutionary technology to locate you,' E911 Director Debby Gunn told De La Torre. 'It's called Rapid SOS.' Reum said he didn't realize how hard the terrain his truck had rolled down until he visited the site last month. Firefighters had to cut a path through brush to get to him. 'Looking at the pictures and everything, that was a complex rescue,' Nemeth agreed of the scene handled by Portage Police and Fire and Burns Harbor Fire Department. Nemeth said it was random that he picked up the call that day and everyone in the dispatch center helped out on the call. 'It literally takes the whole team to get this accomplished,' he said. 'We're always helping each other out.' 'Jeremy's a unicorn. Aside from a dispatcher, he's also a volunteer firefighter,' Gunn said of Nemeth, who was voted Dispatcher of the Year by his peers. Despite 13 years as a dispatcher and 12 as a volunteer firefighter with the Lakes of the Four Seasons Volunteer Fire Force, Reum's visit was the first time Nemeth got to follow up with someone he'd assisted. 'A lot of calls, we never know what happens in the end,' he said. While follow-up stories in The Post-Tribune documented Reum's survival, it was touch and go for a bit following his rescue. 'The firefighters, they didn't think I was going to make it to the hospital once the engine was taken off my legs,' he said. Reum survived being airlifted and a stay in intensive care that included the amputation of his left leg at the knee. He had 18 breaks to bones of his right hand and had reconstructive surgery last month to repair tears to every ligament in his thumb, as well as muscle tears. He still has to have a rod in his hand removed, but that hasn't stopped him from taking up writing. Reum published a book, 'Still Standing: The Seven Miracles of Matthew Reum.' That has led to some speaking engagements that have helped fill the days as the former boilermaker ponders a new career. 'Workwise, I can't physically do like I did before,' said the 28-year-old, who has a long life ahead that he hopes will include the launch of a non-profit to provide prosthetic limbs to the homeless. 'I don't think anybody can go through something like this and not have an appreciation for life,' he said. And for those who helped save it. 'I don't think there's enough ways for languages to say, 'Thank you,'' Reum said.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
Temple Police hold annual recognition ceremony for outstanding, life-saving work
The Brief Incredible stories were shared of the life-saving work by some Temple police and placed a spotlight on others for their dedication and commitment to the job. A husband and wife were honored for saving lives. Others were recognized for milestone service. NORTH PHILADELPHIA - Three Temple police officers were honored for helping to save a man's life after he was crushed by a 700-pound air conditioner. Incredibly, the man survived. What we know An awards ceremony was held Tuesday evening at the Liacouras Center to recognize Temple University Police for their service and to honor some for life-saving work. Sergeant Lauren Boone is one of the honorees. She responded to a call and used a tourniquet for the first time in her 18 years on the force. The call was for a 700-pound air conditioning unit that fell on a male working in construction. When she got to the site, the victim's coworkers had already moved the air conditioning unit off of him, but he was bleeding. Due to the actions of Sergeant Boone, and Police officers Andrew Lanetti and Manuel Williams, the victim survived. Boone's husband, Lieutenant Kamari Boone, was also recognized for saving the life of someone going through mental stress. Big picture view Others received commendations for milestone years of service. Awards were given for Security Officer of the Year, Dispatcher of the Year and Police Officer of the Year. What they're saying Sergeant Boone describes when she arrived on the scene. "I saw that he was bleeding profusely from his arm, knew that needed to be tended to, so I applied the tourniquet. Once the second tourniquet was being applied, just kind of started talking to the male about his family, his children, just trying to get his mind off of the situation that he was in," she said. She's grateful for the recognition tonight but says there's a bigger reward. "When you actually get to do that duty and see someone go home. It's a great feeling," she said. VP of Public Safety for Temple University Jennifer Griffin says the annual ceremony is deserved. "We can say thank you every day but having some yearly annual recognition to bring their family, especially for people who are parents, to bring their children to these events and get to connect with the university and to say thank you to the families," she said. The Source Information for this article was provided by Temple University Police media relations and VP of Public Safety.
