The Missouri Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (MOAPCO) is pleased to recognize Dispatch Supervisor Beverly Ryan and Dispatch Trainee Matt Ford as Missouri Teammates in Action.
On the afternoon of April 8th, 2023, Dispatch Supervisor Ryan was working with Dispatcher Trainee Ford who had been in training for one week. Hickory County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch is a small center usually only staffed by one dispatcher coordinating responses over one radio channel. The dispatchers were working multiple fire calls involving several Fire Departments and a medical call requiring ambulance and first responders. While these calls were in progress, one of the responding fire trucks was involved in a rollover motor vehicle crash resulting in serious injuries to the two firefighters manning the truck. Both firefighters were ejected. Another responding firefighter notified dispatch and immediately called for Emergency Medical Services and helicopters.
Supervisor Ryan dispatched county ambulance services and called a neighboring county for EMS. She also dispatched Hickory County Deputies and notified the Highway Patrol. She made several calls to request two medical helicopters to the scene, all while conducting radio operations with all agencies responding and updating the proper agencies with patient status. Trainee Ford answered non-emergency calls, updated CAD, and took incoming radio traffic while his trainer was on the phone.
While this was happening, they received another medical call which required Ryan to contact a neighboring county for ambulance support. The team also had to dispatch a Fire Department to respond in place of the injured firefighter’s department.
The requirements of these concurrent events were a challenge for these dispatchers, which they managed with exceptional professionalism. Because of these outstanding actions, MOAPCO is proud to recognize them as Missouri Teammates in Action!