Carter County dispatcher Jenni Williams named 911 Telecommunicator of the Quarter
"911, what’s your emergency?”
Thousands of Oklahomans call emergency services throughout the year. Most of us are familiar with the steady voice that greets us and offers reassurance and direction during a crisis – and for many, emergency dispatchers are unknown voices.
In Carter County, Jenni Williams, a Carter County dispatcher has been recognized for being much more than a reassuring voice, earning her not only a commendation from Carter County Undersheriff Gus Handke, but also recognition this week as the Oklahoma Chapter of National Emergency Member Association (OklaNENA) Emergency Telecommunicator of the Quarter.
More: Understanding Ardmore’s homeless crisis calls for reviewing recent efforts, proposed solutions
Williams’ nomination for the award was made by her supervisor, Craig Smith, after a particularly difficult call in early December 2020. Smith described the call and Williams’ actions in detail. “Jenni Williams received a call at approximately 8:38 am from a subject that claimed her daughter had held her at gunpoint,” Smith said in his nomination.
The caller’s daughter then barricaded herself inside her residence. Carter County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene, but were unsuccessful in making contact with the woman inside the home. Deputies asked Williams to make contact via phone, however the woman would only answer and then disconnect the call. Williams, using a department-issued cell phone, began sending text messages to the woman.
“Through a series of persuasive, positive texts, dispatcher Williams was able to get the subject to step out of the residence and speak to deputies on the scene,” Smith said in his nomination narrative. The subject was found to have a firearm in her waistband, and later, a suicide note was found inside the home.
More: Looking back on the Ardmore Explosion 106 years later
Despite no formal crisis negotiation or intervention training, Williams played an enormous role in resolving a dire situation successfully, by pulling from her experience as a dispatcher and compassion as a human being.
— If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available. Call the Lifeline at 800-273-TALK, chat via https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/, or text the Crisis Line by sending keyword HOME to 741741.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Ardmoreite: Carter County dispatcher Jenni Williams named 911 Telecommunicator of the Quarter
