Longtime Dispatcher For the Town of Andover Retires

Trish Ward’s last shift after 32 years as a dispatcher for the town of Andover ended at 1 Friday morning.

“I loved my job,” Ward said just before starting her shift on Friday night. “I am really going to miss everybody.”
Ward, 63, said she needed to make a career change in 1993. Someone she knew told her about the dispatcher job opening, and the rest is history.

Ward has many memories over the years, one as recently as the 7-alarm fire in Haverhill, and the other was the time she was recognized for walking a teen babysitter through doing the Heimlich maneuver on a 4-year-old who had swallowed a golf ball.The babysitter successfully dislodged the golf ball.

“When the phone rings,” Ward said. “You never know what will be on the other end.”
Ward and her partner were assigned to work during the recent massive mill fire.
“It was the first time that I ever worked a 7-alarm fire,” Ward said. “It was mind-boggling; and nerve-wracking.”

While she said she would miss the work, Ward is looking forward to spending even more time with her 6-year-old granddaughter.

Ward is also looking forward to helping her son out on his new venture, Third Colony Brewery and Winery in Manchester, N.H. Third Colony recently received all federal, state and local permits.
For Ward, the tough part of retiring, will be missing all the good friends she made throughout the years.

“You don’t realize it so much,” Ward said.”Until you’re walking out the door.”

Photo Credit: Andover Police