BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — This week the Morgan County Commission honored three Emergency 911 Communications Dispatchers for their work during a busy shift that included the fire that broke out at the historic Coolfont Resort’s main building as well as ten additional calls.
The dispatchers honored were ETC Tiffany Yost, ETC Kaylee Myers and Probationary ETC Vickie O’Neill.
Morgan County Commissioners Honored Three Dispatchers.(Morgan County WV E911)
Morgan County Emergency Dispatch reports on January 26th, while managing the call that came out due to the fire at Coolfont Resort they also handled ten additional incidents that included fire alarms, a brush fire, disturbances and a high priority chest pains call.
“Everything was managed without delay,” according to Morgan County’s Emergency Dispatch.
The fire at Coolfont was called in just after 9:30 that night, warning of smoke in the building of the long-time mainstay of the Berkeley Springs community.
Units responding initially to the call included crews from Berkeley Springs, Great Cacapon, Hancock, South Morgan, Reynolds Store, Orleans Fire Departments and a Medic Unit from Morgan County EMS.
“Just two minutes after arriving on scene Deputy Chief 1 James Steiner had established command and immediately requested a 2nd alarm assignment and very shortly after a Tanker Task Force,” according to the Morgan County WV E911 post.
“As the incident progressed additional units were requested to move the incident to a 4-alarm fire. With these multiple alarms the total number of units on scene reached 57, from 25 different agencies. This represents a response from 8 counties in four states.”
“The three dispatchers did “an excellent job handling this large incident with only a total combined years of service of only 2 years and 1 month.”
“In the hours and day following the incident we received emails, and messages from multiple officers in the county and surrounding fire departments,” the This incident commander said it best about each of these 3 as he stated ” I only expect perfection for the ECC. Tonight/Today was probably the biggest fire (operational) I’ve ever had. I don’t know where you got the dispatchers that worked this fire, but you need 10 more of them,” noting the work of the dispatchers over six solid hours was the best performance from the 911 center he had ever seen.
