APCO recently interviewed some of their past PSAP award winners so they could share their experiences as winners.

We spoke with 2018 Communications Center Director of the Year winner Kathren Sukus from Rock County Communications Center, Janesville, WI; 2016 Communications Center Director of the Year winner Zim Schwartze from Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1, Springfield, MO; and 2016 Team of the Year representative Tenea Reddick on behalf of the Baltimore City Emergency Communications, Baltimore, MD.

Tell us about your overall experience as an APCO International PSAP award winner.

Kathren: I actually teared up during the phone call because I never imagined I would be the winner for Director of the Year. I have gone to several of the conferences and seen the awards ceremony and secretly thought how neat it would be to be the one receiving the award, but never thought it would happen to me. Needless to say, I was very humbled and appreciative that someone actually took the time to nominate me for my work because public safety dispatching has been an important part of my life for over 30 years and this award was the stamp of approval by my peers for all of my efforts.

My county administrator and county board were very proud to hear that I had received the award and they did a nice press release on it. I had some of our local newspapers and news stations contact me to ask me what the award was about and how I felt about receiving it. There were various articles/social media posts that my friends, co-workers and other comm center directors saw and I received numerous calls and emails from people, even my former director who is now a director at another center, and they all said how proud of me they were and how exciting it was to have someone local receive such a coveted award.

Zim: My experience a PSAP award winner was WONDERFUL! Folks at my agency had nominated me secretly and I was stunned when they told me what they had done and that I had won Director of the Year! I was humbled and very honored! The APCO staff were so accommodating and walked me through the entire process leading up to the conference!

Tenea: The overall experience is very breath-taking. From the time you find out you are an award winner to the time you board the plane, you will receive nothing but exceptional accommodations from the APCO staff. The whole setup makes you feel very important. You feel as if you are a part of the Grammy’s or Golden Globes, because of the amount of thought and strategic planning that is put into the productions to make it a special moment. I enjoyed every bit of it!

Tell us about your experience at the APCO International Annual Conference and your recognition there.

Kathren: Everything was well organized from the moment I received word that I had won, right up until the awards ceremony where we knew exactly what to do and what to expect. I am a really organized person, so I appreciated all of the communications and contacts I received prior to arriving in Las Vegas. The conference itself was amazing. There were so many interesting topics and speakers that it was hard to get to everything. Fortunately our local chapter invited some of the speakers to speak at our local conference this year and I plan to attend to see if there was anything I missed. The awards ceremony itself was very professional. Everything was flawless. I felt very honored when my award was announced and the video of my nomination was played. People recognized me throughout the conference, so I received a lot of congratulations during the week and almost felt like a bit of a celebrity.

Zim: All details were arranged so that I did not have to worry about anything! I was treated like royalty and was so excited to see all the award winners’ info posted prominently throughout the conference!!  Many folks came up to me to talk and introduce themselves! It was really cool to be there and be recognized. Orlando was my first APCO Conference as I had always let others on my staff attend instead.  Now I expect the top-notch treatment every year!  LOL!

Tenea: I always enjoy myself at the APCO conference. They offer great speakers, excellent block parties and innovative ways to get people involved in the forums, meetings and open discussions.

What’s your relationship with your nominator?

Kathren: My nominator was one of our shift supervisors at the center. We have worked together since our center opened back in 1993 and we have had a close working relationship over the past 25 years. She’s been a big supporter of mine over the years and has always been one to make people feel appreciated.

Zim: My nominator is our Training and Education Manager, Kris Inman, who is a wealth of information for our agency. He is like a younger brother to me and I know I can depend on him to get things done when asked. He is one of my biggest supporters and I greatly appreciate all he has done for our department for the past 25 years, especially since my arrival in 2013.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about nominating a peer?

Kathren: If you have ever thought about nominating someone, do it. Even if you are not sure. If your nominee doesn’t get selected it is a still a true honor to be nominated. I really believe that.

Zim: DO IT! When you nominate others and recognize them, it is truly reflective on what kind of person YOU are. If you have someone you know deserves recognition for what they have done for our profession, show them by taking the time to nominate them. It will mean the world to them to know what you have done.

Tenea: Just do it! Everyone deserves the recognition for a job well done. If selected, it will be an unforgettable experience.

How has becoming an award winner changed your overall outlook on your role in public safety communications?

Kathren: Being a 30 year veteran of public safety, most of which have been management, you get a little burned out at times and wonder if you are making a difference. Receiving this award reminded me why I signed up for this type of work so many years ago and reassured me that I am making a difference. I have always been excited to promote public safety dispatch/9-1-1, but getting the acknowledgment from your staff, as well as the other 9-1-1 professionals who looked through the applications, lets me know that I am on the right track and to keep improving myself so I can be a better co-worker and leader.

Zim: It has given me even more confidence that what I have tried to do and aspired to be for the folks at our department was the right path.  We have made many changes in the past six years to really plot a new course and make our department a great place to work. We try to make sure those we serve know how professional and dedicated our telecommunicators are and receive the recognition they deserve. Our community and public safety user agencies are fortunate to have such highly trained folks helping them. Though we can’t change the type of calls they receive daily, my outlook is trying to make the best working environment possible for our employees.

Tenea: As a team, it has boosted the moral in the comm center and also brought us closer together as a cohesive team. Being acknowledged in a “thankless” job, made every call taker, fire/police dispatcher, supervisor, manager and director feel we did a job well done and will continue to strive to receive many more awards and acknowledgements in the future.

If you know someone that you want to recognize for their hardwork and dedication, visit apcointl.org/awards and submit a nomination before April 1.