News Flash

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (April 22, 2024) – Members of the Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications were showered with special messages of support, food and treats in recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW), which was observed April 14-20. 

“The outpouring of support for our team was tremendous. We are humbled by all of the expressions of appreciation that we received from the community last week,” said Jennifer Swisher, Director of the Department of Emergency Communications.

Berkeley County telecommunicators received donations of food and treats from members of the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority, Berkeley County Animal Control, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, WVU Medicine, Hoffman Realty LLC, Chic-fil-A, as well as Vanessa Ferrebee and Joe Kozman. 

Among the donations received were cakes, pies, snacks, pizza, macarons, donuts and mugs filled with goodies. Staff also were presented with special messages of support, including those from the Sheriff’s Department that saluted telecommunicators for having “nerves of steel” and “hearts of gold.” 

One box of treats donated by the Sheriff’s Department was affixed with the following tribute: 

 “Between the Thin Red Line and the Thin Blue Line of Public Safety lies the Thinnest Gold Line. The Gold Line represents those who rarely are seen, but mostly heard. Dispatchers. The calm voice in the dark night. The Golden Glue that holds it all together.”

Members of the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority (BCEAA) were among the first to stop by the Emergency Communications Center to recognize the Department of Emergency Communications staff during NPSTW 2024.

“They presented us with a National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week poster, which has personal messages from the BCEAA staff to all of the Emergency Telecommunicators,” Swisher said.

Donnie Grubb and Jenn Murray with WVU Medicine presented DEC staff with “A Prayer for Dispatchers” canvas print along with pizza for both the day/night shifts. Hoffman Realty, LLC, for the second consecutive year, treated the staff to lunch, with food this year from Jersey Mike’s. Telecommuters also were treated to a special visit by Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Colt and partner Sheriff’s Deputy Nathaniel Chronister. 

At week’s end, in recognition of National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, which also was observed April 14-20, 2024, Berkeley County telecommunicators presented Berkeley County Animal Control officers with donated items collected in support of animal control operations in the county.

By proclamation adopted on April 11, the Berkeley County Commission proclaimed the week of April 14-20, 2024 National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Berkeley County. Commissioners also joined DEC staff in recognizing  2023 Telecommunicator of the Year Caitlin Nawrocki and 2023 Department of Emergency Communications Supervisor of the Year Allison Litten to help kick off activities.

About Berkeley County Emergency Communications: The Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications is the primary answering point for 911 calls requesting emergency assistance from residents and visitors of Berkeley County, W.Va. The department’s emergency telecommunicators answer over 125,000 emergency and non-emergency calls annually.