Scott Emergency Communications Center (SECC) is pleased to announce that the 911 center has received American Professional Communications Officials (APCO 911) Iowa's Chapter "Team of the Year" award. SECC was nominated for team of the year for the teamwork portrayed during the September 1, 2012 airplane crash at the Quad Cities Air Show. APCO judged nominations received throughout the State on several criteria items. The items which SECC was chosen from included: "Commendable handling and control during an emergency situation" and "A willingness to participate as team players".
In 2011 SECC began operations in a consolidated 911 environment. Previously, there were four emergency communications centers in Scott County; Bettendorf 911, Davenport 911, Scott County 911 and Medic EMS Dispatching. On September 1st at 1:22 PM SECC began receiving 911 calls of a jet airplane that had just crashed. Countless 911 calls were being received by 911 dispatchers. In the now consolidated environment, dispatchers were able to be shifted to assist where heavy call load levels were being experienced. Dispatchers, supervisors, management team members and off duty personnel joined in on the coordination and response of handling all of the 911 and radio traffic that soon followed.
The effort and synergy that SECC and Medic EMS Dispatch were able to apply toward this event far exceeded the capabilities of the previous emergency communications centers. All of the team members really showed team spirit and coordinated well during the event. This was truly one of the first tests for a new consolidated center.
Brian Hitchcock, Director of SECC, stated that it is a great pleasure to see so many employees experience a challenging 911 consolidation and form to be strong team members allowing SECC and Medic EMS Dispatchers to respond to serious events with high call load levels. To see the team in action, handling all of the 911 calls and radio traffic from the jet crash was phenomenal. They acted as a well coordinated team. The team performed very well especially considering that not only did they handle the jet crash, they also had to keep up with all of the other 911 and radio traffic that was taking place in the County.
SECC personnel that handled the event are:
Dispatchers: Caroline Eakins, Deb Beadel, Mandy Mayer, Patricia Shorter, David Rowland, Sunny Blaesi, Tammy Walker, Kayla Mathews, Kathryn Hale and Todd Malone
Supervisors: Doris Moreno, Stacey Green and Kathleen Schwarz
Management: Deputy Director Pam Paulsen and Director Brian Hitchcock
Medic EMS personnel that handled the event are:
Vikki Habben, Michelle Arp, Crystal Eakins and Jim Doran
