The men and women who are available 24/7 to handle emergency communications in Livingston County have received statewide recognition for their efforts.

Livingston County Central Dispatch was named the Team of the Year during the 2019 Michigan APCO Awards ceremony in Frankenmuth October 17th. APCO stands for Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials. 911 Director Chad Chewning says the team was nominated by management for handling two major incidents in the county during 2019. In April, dispatchers answered several calls about a tour bus that rolled over at I-96 and M-59 containing both students and adult chaperones, with several injuries reported. Then in July, Central Dispatch took calls of a 40 vehicle accident on I-96 near Kensington Road during a rain storm. The Livingston County Communications Center had taken several calls and dispatched county resources while monitoring numerous radio talk groups.

Chewning says the staff working each of those days went above and beyond in demonstrating team work; making sure to attend to all of the patients, callers, and responders that were involved those days. He added that they are extremely proud of the staff and their accomplishments and noted that this is second time in three years Livingston County Central Dispatch has won the award. In 2017 they were cited for their handling of a 53-car pileup on I-96 near Fowlerville in December of 2016. (JK)