Broward County honors 911 heroes during National Education Month with Tom Gallagher Awards for exceptional emergency dispatchers
Broward County, Florida – April has been designated as National 911 Education Month, a period when the essential role that emergency dispatchers play in public safety comes in focus. The event in Broward County this year consists of the awarding of the 2025 Tom Gallagher Awards to three outstanding telecommunicators who have shown extraordinary commitment and ability in their respective jobs.
Set to take place on April 1st at the Governmental Center in Fort Lauderdale, the Broward Commission meeting will host the awards ceremony. Among the honorees are Jennifer Mangano, Emilie Atchison, and Trinesia Smith, each recognized for their significant contributions to the field of emergency communications.
During a January 2025 crisis, Jennifer Mangano, who has worked with the Broward Sheriff’s Office for more than 30 years, showed outstanding poise and professionalism. Her expertise guaranteed officer safety and the efficacy of the emergency response during a shooting involving officers. Her long-standing profession is packed with honors from both colleagues and community members, so highlighting her as a pillar of dependability and brilliance in her department.
Representing the Coral Springs Emergency Communications Center, Emilie Atchison has been vital in managing high-stakes crises including a major stabbing event. Her capacity to work with several agencies guaranteed a quick and life-saving reaction including air transport for the victim. Apart from her emergency response skills, Atchison is dedicated to improving workplace morale and aggressively guides young women under the “Ignite the Flame” initiative, hoping to motivate the following generation of public safety experts.
Trinesia Smith, a seasoned dispatcher from the City of Plantation with 17 years of experience, is renowned for her adept crisis management skills and her role as a peer supporter. Her ability to navigate difficult emergency situations with compassion and efficiency has not only saved lives but also benefited her colleagues. Emphasizing her dedication to the welfare of her colleagues, Smith, a qualified Peer-to-Peer counselor, provides first responders coping with job-related stress advice and assistance.
Named to commemorate a legacy of quality and leadership in the 911 dispatch community, the Tom Gallagher Award honors those telecommunicators who exceed expectations in their responsibilities. The awards draw attention to the difficult but vital work of dispatchers and their underappreciated contribution to the emergency response system.
Effective emergency communication’s vital need is highlighted by National 911 Education Month itself. Created by Congress in 2008, this observance not only seeks to inform the public on the functions and difficulties of the 911 system but also recognizes the experts who run these lifeline operations every day.
Through projects like these, the goal is to guarantee that the first point of contact in crises is as ready and responsive as humanly possible, therefore protecting communities across the country.
