NH 911 Telecommunicator Recognized as National 'Dispatcher of the Year'

Concord, NH – The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) announced on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, the IAED 2020 Dispatcher of the Year as NH 911 Telecommunicator Bethany Drew. The IAED has a worldwide presence and a membership of tens of thousands of Dispatchers/Telecommunicators from over 3,000 communications centers worldwide. New Hampshire now has three (3) Telecommunicators who have been recognized as the Academy's Telecommunicator/Dispatcher of the Year.

Beth was nominated by her supervisor, Dana Jennings, for a 911 call she handled on August 26, 2019. The caller was a woman whose husband experienced a medical emergency while hiking in the White Mountains. They were nearly to the summit of Owl's Head Trail in Franconia when he collapsed – not conscious and not breathing. Beth provided CPR instructions for 68 minutes, never letting up, until a NH National Guard helicopter was able to perform a rescue. Throughout the duration of the call, Beth showed incredible professionalism, compassion, resourcefulness and focus.

In an on-line award ceremony on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, Beth was recognized as the 2020 IAED Dispatcher of the Year, one of the highest honors a dispatcher can attain in the world. Dr. Jeff Clawson, IAED founder, said, 'I have heard a lot of calls in my 40 something years of doing this and this is one of the most memorable calls of all time.'

NH 911 Director Mark Doyle said, 'Beth exemplifies all that we want all of our Public Safety Telecommunicators to be.' 'What we heard Beth do…was nothing short of absolutely amazing and remarkable,' he exclaimed.

Beth has been with the Division for over 5 years. She is a Certified Training Officer, a founding member of the Division's peer support team as well as the Division's certified CPR instructor. She is one of the Division's strongest call takers in every facet; virtually perfect call handling compliance.

Video Award Presentation.