MUSCATINE, Iowa – Dispatchers with Muscatine County Joint Communications (MUSCOM) were recognized and thanked for their hard work and dedication Tuesday (April 16) including two that received special recognition for their efforts over the past year.
The recognitions came as part of National Telecommunicator Week during the monthly Muscatine County Joint Communications Commission meeting if the boardroom of the Muscatine County Administration Building.
“Every year, in the second week of April, telecommunications personnel in the public safety community are honored,” Chris Jasper, MUSCOM shift supervisor, said. “This week long event is a time to honor the hard work and dedication that public safety dispatchers and telecommunicator professionals give on a daily basis.”
Two dispatchers were specifically recognized for their efforts over the past year including Casey Shields with the Life Saving Award and Ben Sharpe with the Baby Delivery Award.
Shields answered a 911 call that every dispatcher dreads receiving in the afternoon hours of January 1, 2019. A male caller reported that he believed his wife was having a seizure and was not breathing. The caller was obviously in distress and stated that he did not know how to do CPR. Shields was able to calmly reassure him.
“I am going to walk you through it, and will be h ere with you every step of the way,” Shields told the caller.
Shields was then able to utilize MUSCOM’s Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocols and walk the caller through giving his wife CPR until first responders arrived on the scene and took over. Before she was transported to the hospital, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel and first responders reported that the patient had a heartbeat and was breathing on her own.
“Thanks to the quick actions of Dispatcher Shields, a life was saved,” Jasper said. “For these efforts, we recognize her today for saving a life.”
Ben Sharpe was working in the early morning hours of October 17, 2018, when he took a call from a frantic father stating that his wife was about to give birth. After gathering the initial call information, Sharpe was able to utilize the EMD protocols to assist the caller over the phone in the delivery of a baby girl.
Shortly after delivery, EMS personnel arrived and transported the mother and the newborn to the hospital where both were declared to be happy and healthy.
“Without the calm voice and instructions that Sharpe provided over the phone, the delivery may not have been so smooth,” Jasper said. “For these efforts, we recognize Sharp with a Stork Award.”
Commission chairperson Jeff Sorensen presented the awards.