County Public Safety Employees Earn 2011 Telecommunications Awards

 Ten employees of the County’s Public Safety Communications Center – which is jointly administered by the Police Department and the Department of Fire & Rescue – earned 2011 Telecommunications Awards during national Public Safety Telecommunications Week (April 10-16). They are:

• Angela Kang, a Telecommunicator I, who was named 2011 Rookie of the Year.

• Telma Imaca, a Telecommunicator I, who was named 2011 Call Taker of the Year.

• Nicole MacDonald, a Telecommunicator II, who was named 2011 Fire Dispatcher of the Year. She won this award last year as well.

• Andrea Watt, a Telecommunicator III, and Nita Lapihuska, a Telecommunicator III, who were both named 2011 Police Dispatcher of the Year.

• Zachary Fuhrman, a Telecommunicator I, and Sandy Zaccagnini, a Teletype Operator, who were both named 2011 Teletype Operator of the Year.

• Georganne Koss, a Telecommunicator III, who was named 2011 Trainer of the Year. She won this award last year as well.

• Kay M. Carroll, a Supervisor, who received the 2011 Leadership Award.

• Philip Hunnicutt, a Telecommunicator I; who received the 2011 Award for Critical Incident of the Year.

Police Captain Ted S. McInteer, director of the Public Safety Communications Center, praised the employees’ accomplishments and noted that they represent all of the employees of Public Safety Communications who are the first contact that residents have when public safety assistance is needed. The 10 men and women will be honored on April 16, 2011, at an awards banquet of the Northern Virginia Public Safety Dispatchers Association.