DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS _________ ____
DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS _________ ____
North Bay Fires Emergency Management Mutual Aid Deployments
The October 2017 Northern California wildfires burned at least 245,000 acres , forced 90,000 people to evacuate , destroyed almost 9,000 structures and killed at least 43 people , making it the most destructive wildfire California has ever experienced . San Francisco sent more than 200 individuals to help in the response and recovery from these fires . Contributing departments include : Fire Department , Police Department , Sheriff ’ s Department , Emergency Management , Public Health , Human Services Agency , Department of Technology , Controller ’ s Office , Port , Public Works , and Animal Care and Control .
Dispatchers of the Month
DIVISIONAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
January 2017: Faith McClure for consistent outstanding performance and positive contributions to
the DEM work environment. Faith’s “peer support” emails and dedication to well-being create a kind
and supportive work atmosphere.
_______________________________
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Public Safety Dispatcher Week 2017
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is an opportunity to highlight our Dispatchers
outstanding work. Although every dispatcher is honored during this week, DEM takes this
opportunity to recognize stellar performance through the following awards.
9-1-1 Heroes Awards
The 9-1-1 Heroes Award gives us the opportunity to honor children who called 9-1-1 to help a family
member—and the dispatchers who answered their calls. The 2017 9-1-1 Heroes awards went to
12 year old Adrian Lopez who called 9-1-1 for his uncle suffering a medical emergency related
to his diabetes, and Public Safety Dispatcher Corie Portlock who answered Adrian’s 9-1-1 call.
Corie provided pre-arrival medical instruction, along with words of comfort and encouragement,
to Adrian before paramedics arrived. Because of Adrian’s call to 9-1-1 paramedics arrived and
were able to stabilize Adrian’s uncle and take him to the hospital where he recovered. Public Safety
Dispatcher Portlock and Adrian were recognized on Wednesday April 19, 2017 at Adrian’s school,
James Denman Middle School. It was an inspiring event that celebrated Adrian while educating the
entire student body about calling 9-1-1 for an emergency.
Toni Hardley Award
The Toni Hardley Award for Excellence in Supervision honors the
memory of Toni Hardley who is remembered for her calm, cool, and
collected nature. As one DEM supervisor remembers her, “She was the
supervisor everyone aspired to be.” This year the Toni Hardley Award
went to Josu Garmendia for his outstanding commitment to leadership,
guidance, and support to his staff.
Dispatcher of the Year: Janet Atchan
Janet Atchan was recognized as the 2017 Dispatcher
of the Year for her coordination of the emergency
response to the shooting of SFPD Officer Kevin Downs.
The Dispatcher of the Year is elected by their fellow
dispatchers for extraordinary performance while
answering 9-1-1 calls or dispatching emergency
services. Janet shares this honor with her fellow
dispatchers who provide vital ongoing support,
which is indispensable to the entire San Francisco
dispatcher’s team during crucial calls. In addition to
the award, Janet received a commendation from the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
February 2017: Carlos Soto for exemplary professionalism while coordinating public safety personnel
responding to a shooting. Carlos remained calm while effectively managing an intense situation.
March 2017: Lea Acosta-Chea for her support during an officer-involved shooting. Her effective
response to radio transmission kept all informed and provided reassurance to those on-scene that
they were in good hands.
April 2017: Denise Baylor for persistence while helping a caller involved in an active domestic
violence dispute. Denise’s tenacious research kept the units actively searching until they found and
helped the caller.
May 2017: Kimberly Tuyay and Juanita Ragler for swift and organized handling of a call from a
person who had experienced a seizure. Kim and Juanita demonstrated the essence of teamwork
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