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7-year-old Tottenham boy honoured for using 9–1–1

April 24, 2014   ·   0 Comments

The Simcoe County 9-1-1 Management Board Communicator-of-the-Year, Public Safety Communications Team Award, and Youth Award winners were recognized at a ceremony on April 15.

The 7th Annual ceremony recognized the exceptional work of the unsung but essential call-takers, dispatchers, and supervisors in our emergency response system. These are the men and women who provide a vital link to callers in distress and provide a communications safety net to emergency responders on scene.

Warden Cal Patterson has also proclaimed the week of April 13 to 19 as 9-1-1 Awareness and Public Safety Communicators Week in our community. Christine Schultz, representing the Ontario Provincial Police Provincial Communications Centre in North Bay, is the recipient of the 2013 Simcoe County Public Safety Communicator-of-the-Year Award. During her 22 year career, Shultz has consistently demonstrated her exceptional work performance, often going above and beyond the call of duty.

The 2013 Youth Award is being presented to 7-year-old Colin Klutz from Tottenham. In March 2013, Colin called 9-1-1 on behalf of his mother, Claudette, who was choking. The young boy was very helpful in providing his address and details about the incident to the dispatcher, while remaining calm and following instructions. A volunteer firefighter from New Tecumseth Fire Rescue was the first on scene, followed shortly after by County of Simcoe Paramedic Services, who provided further care and transported Claudette to the hospital. Colin acted bravely, demonstrating maturity beyond his years.

The winners of the 2013 Simcoe County Public Safety Communications Team Award demonstrated outstanding teamwork and professionalism during a traumatic call for assistance involving an active shooter. Though the incident ended with the loss of two lives, the team of Tracey Lytle and Jennifer Hayes of the OPP Orillia Provincial Communications Centre remained calm and worked together to ensure a co-ordinated response throughout the stressful situation.

Four additional teams were recognized at the category: • The team of Ambar Kottick and Ashley Gray of South Simcoe Police worked together to assist in the identification and apprehension of a robbery suspect following an incident in Stroud. • OPP North Bay Provincial Communications Centre team members Melanie Yeates, Jean-Marc Bedard, Melanie Labreche, and Luc Gaudreault for a call involving an accidental self-inflicted gunshot to an elderly male in a remote location. • Barrie Police Service team members Mike Gould, Danielle Ballagh, Leanne Boughner, Carolline Graham, Caron Smith, and Christine Atkinson for their work averting a suicide with very limited information. • Mary Anne Cousineau, Amanda Wickham, and Carrie Clark-Weatherup of Barrie Fire and Emergency Service for a call involving an urban forest fire and potential hazardous materials incident.

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