“The Rolling Phones”

Our 4.5-person day-shift team (3 full timers, 1 almost out of training, and 1 O.G. ((Old Gal in someone’s words)) “retired” and works more hrs. than most 😊) is beyond FANTASTIC and we work together like pepperoni pizza and ranch dressing, ha-ha! We are all very different, though when it comes to our PSAP career, the community and the agencies that we serve, we all have the same mentality…Be Positive, Be Confident, and Tell Them Where to Go! We are able to share personal stories, finish each other’s sentences, laugh until our belly’s ache, feel the pain of hard-hitting calls, talk through difficult emotions, and eat our way through a “Feed Your Face Friday.” Together we have experienced many in-progress, volatile events like: active threats, weather related emergencies, barricaded subjects, SWAT call-outs, etc. Through each of these varying events each person has stepped up, they have taken on their assigned role and then some; taking multiple 911 calls, listening for radio traffic on all channels, sending out community notifications or Special Teams callouts, and at the end of the day, ensuring that everyone makes it home safe.

This PSAP Team is truly exceptional, we stay positive and have no issues reminding one another of that, we find the silver lining and/or a teachable moment in all scenarios, and we do not engage in negative talk or gossip. We have made Team Building a top priority and have found ways to incorporate laughter, “normalcy”, and conversation into our hectic, chaotic days by; finding appropriate jokes to tell after break time (ex; Q: Where do cow farts come from? A: The Dairy Aire), creating “Feed Your Face Friday” (potluck on our Friday’s where we coordinate a group meal to share together), and learning more about one another (by using “conversation cards” to learn new things about each other.)

I can say that there is a genuine camaraderie between our team, true feelings of trust, concern, and friendship that extends far beyond our consoles. There is never a doubt that my team members are following the Mission of our agency to, “To provide excellent customer service through 9-1-1 and non-emergency communications to the citizens and visitors of GF County and the cities therein for immediate and direct access to Fire, Police, and Medical Services.” I could not be prouder to be a member and a Leader of this team (“The Rolling Phones”) and I appreciate the ability to recognize them during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week 2023!