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2007 Telecommunicator of the
Year Award Winner Brenda Sampson On January 26, 2007, what started out as an average day in Harris County, quickly turned into a very busy day when Communications Officer Brenda Sampson received two emergency calls back to back about gunshots being fired within a local apartment complex.
Brenda’s first call was a standard discharge of firearms call from a woman reporting gunshots outside of her apartment and she did not have any other information. However, there was no indication on this call that Brenda’s second call was about to make things worse.
Within seconds of completing the first call, Brenda’s second call was from another woman reporting that her boyfriend’s car in the parking lot had been shot up. The woman could see her boyfriend’s car with its car doors hanging open but the vehicle was not moving. The caller stated that there had been five shots fired and she could not see her boyfriend, only his car, and she was afraid to go outside to look for him. The caller was extremely upset so Brenda kept speaking with her while she asked her several questions about what she could see. While trying to keep the caller calm, Brenda dispatched deputies to the scene.
However, the situation escalated when the caller became even more hysterical and left the apartment, despite Brenda’s instructions to remain inside. The caller told Brenda she had located her boyfriend and that he was inside the vehicle that had been shot and was bleeding badly but was still conscious. Brenda quickly dispatched EMS to the apartment complex. Keeping the caller on the line and reassuring her that help was on the way, Brenda conferenced a paramedic into the call to give the caller pre-arrival instructions.
Brenda demonstrated exceptional skill and professionalism in handling this life-threatening event.
For this, we are proud to recognize call taker Brenda Sampson as a 2007 Telecommunicator of the Year winner. |
