A house RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE FLORENCE COUNTY CENTRAL DISPATCH OF FLORENCE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TO CONGRATULATE THOSE IN THE CENTRAL DISPATCH FOR RECEIVING NICE'S PSAP CENTER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives were pleased to learn that the Florence County Central Dispatch was recognized for its superior service with the NICE National Center of the Year award in October 2023; and

 

Whereas, those who handle emergency calls, supervise staff, train new recruits, innovate new ways of doing things, or make technology work play a vital role in connecting the public to emergency services in times of crisis through the service of public safety answering points (PSAP).  NICE annually awards communications professionals who do this essential, life-changing work day after day in emergency communications; and

 

Whereas, the Florence County Central Dispatch located in Effingham shared the distinction of the 2023 PSAP of the Year with Marion County Public Safety Communications in Ocala, Florida; and

 

Whereas, the COVID-19 pandemic made the last few years extremely difficult for PSAPs, but the collective determination of the Florence County Central Dispatch made the team successful, notwithstanding that the center worked at fifty-one percent staffing for over a year; and

 

Whereas, Florence County Central Dispatch provides dispatch for ten fire departments, ten law enforcement agencies and four transporting EMS/Rescue Squads.  Of the 214,858 calls dispatchers handled in 2023, 121,169 were 911 calls; and

 

Whereas, while the center's dispatchers remain positive, they continue to provide the best service possible to the departments and citizens which the center serves.  The center was recognized for its extensive training, imperative in the dispatch field and one of its most expensive undertakings; and

 

Whereas, the Florence center not only teaches the APCO PST1 course in-house for all new telecommunicators, but also offers to host this class to assist neighboring agencies at no cost; and

 

Whereas, the Florence County center has been proactive in putting processes in place to better assist first responders, such as its collaborative efforts with all five school districts to access cameras within the schools to better assist first responders when they are responding to any school incidents; and

 

Whereas, the center's team supports local community drives and has even set up a nonprofit foundation in memory of one of its dispatchers, Leslie Timmons, who passed away in 2020.  The foundation partners with a different organization each year to ensure that a needy family has a wonderful Christmas holiday, along with its daily life-saving responsibilities; and

 

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives congratulates the Florence County Central Dispatch for being honored with the 2023 NICE PSAP award, and the members are grateful for the dedicated help of Florence dispatchers to get first responders to those who need them.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the Florence County Central Dispatch of Florence County Emergency Management and congratulate those in the Central Dispatch for receiving NICE's PSAP Center of the Year award.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Florence County Central Dispatch of Florence County Emergency Management.

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