City of Decatur 911 Dispatcher Named Southeast Regional Winner in Smart Telecommunicator Awards

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Staff Report

April is National 9-1-1 Education Month and the second full week is traditionally celebrated as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. This year a local dispatcher from the City of Decatur is receiving national acclaim. Jeremy Pickett was voted the Southeast Regional Honoree in the 4th annual Smart Telecommuncator Awards.

The Smart Telecommunicator Awards aims to recognize and reward 9-1-1 telecommunicators for leadership, performance, compassion for callers, ability to inspire co-workers and overall contributions to their Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Last month 9-1-1 call-takers and dispatchers (telecommunicators) across the U.S. were nominated by peers and individuals, and forty finalist entries were then selected for an online public vote. After thousands weighed-in, Pickett was named the top winner for his region.

According to the nomination submitted, Pickett is a model employee who provides relief and reassurance not only to the community, but to the police officers and fire fighters when they learn he is the 911 dispatcher handling a call. From providing emergency crews information before they even ask, to using Smart911 profiles to provide access notes, to helping to respond accordingly to an individual with autism, he is trusted and respected by his peers.

The Smart Telecommunicator Awards are conducted by Smart911, the acclaimed national public safety service, in partnership with the Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies (iCERT) and the Denise Amber Lee Foundation.

In addition to the Smart Telecommunicator Award, Smart911 will present a donation of $500 to each winner’s charity of choice and $1,000 to the national winner’s charity. Pickett has selected the Wounded Warrior Project.

“The job of a telecommunicator requires an individual to diffuse emergencies and avert tragedy, while maintaining their composure, at any given moment,” said Tom Axbey, CEO of Rave Mobile Safety. “Not everyone can succeed in these very challenging duties. We continue to be awestruck by the stories we hear of telecommunicators deft skills and going well above-and-beyond the normal call of duty.”