Before first responders arrive on scene, there’s often another calm voice guiding their efforts behind the scenes.
That work was recognized Wednesday as the County of Simcoe 911 Management Board Public Safety Awards put emergency communicators in the spotlight.
The event, hosted by the County, honoured two individuals and a team for outstanding work in public safety communications, as well as two youths.
"Our 911 call takers and dispatchers are the unsung heroes who quickly become the first voice of hope during someone's darkest moment," Deputy Warden Jennifer Coughlin remarked. "Every day they face the unimaginable. Their calm voice becomes the lifeline that connects those in need with the help they urgently require."
Grant Durfey, the County's manager of emergency management, said there were over 60 nominations across the four award categories.
Officials pointed to several major incidents in 2025 that highlighted the role of emergency communicators, including the spring ice storm, a fatal Barrie home explosion, and a medical emergency involving a Barrie police officer during a charity hockey game.
Barrie Fire Deputy Chief Justin Gilbert said those events led to record-breaking call volumes and underscored the importance of dispatchers.
"We often refer to telecommunicators as the first first responders, and that's exactly what they are," he said. "Before the lights, before the sirens, before crews are on the road, there's a voice... a voice that starts the response when seconds truly matter."
Gilbert also outlined the importance of teamwork and working as a crew, citing the recent NASA Artemis II mission and a specific quote from American astronaut Christina Koch.
A crew is people or a group that is in it all the time, no matter what, that is stroking together every minute with the same purpose, that is willing to sacrifice silently for each other, that gives grace, that holds accountable.
A crew has the same cares and the same needs, and a crew is inescapably, beautifully, dutifully linked.
"Every role matters, no one piece is more important than the other, and when it works well, it looks effortless," Gilbert added.
Among those recognized were members of Barrie Fire and Emergency Service, who received the Team Award, along with Denise Horn of Orillia Fire Department (Communicator of the Year) and Melissa Soule of Midland Fire Department (Support Staff of the Year).
Two youths were also honoured for their actions during emergencies.
Eight-year-old Charlotte Bieniek was recognized for helping save her mother’s life during a paddleboarding incident on the Nottawasaga River last July. After her mother became unresponsive, Bieniek tied their boards together and paddled roughly 500 metres to shore before calling for help and assisting first responders.
Hannah Mooney was also honoured after helping manage a medical emergency at her home, staying on the line with dispatchers and relaying critical information until paramedics arrived.
"Their actions remind us that heroism has no age," Coughlin said.
