County dispatchers honored as Valley Grange Citizens of the Year
GUILFORD — Whenever the emergency dispatchers with the Piscataqis County Sheriff’s Office answer the phone, they never know what type of call may be coming in. The dispatchers need to be ready to handle all sorts of crises, including potential life or death situations in which they are the first contact, to be a link to coordinate and get help sent on its way and even offer life-saving advice during what could be the worst day of the caller’s life.
For all the emergency dispatchers do for the region, this group was recognized by the Valley Grange on the evening of May 17 during the organization’s annual Celebration of Community as the 2024 Community Citizens of the Year. The dispatch roster includes Kaylee Aucoin, Magen Bishop, Jon Buckingham, Jaeme Duggan, Gabrielle Huettner, Megan Leavitt, Alicia London, Joshua Michaud, Ashley Monahan, Nathan Richards, Jessica Trewmyn, and Team Leader Eric Berce.
With five dispatchers present for the ceremony at the Guilford Grange Hall, the honored guests were escorted to the front of the room. There Valley Grange Program Director/Lecturer Walter Boomsma said he had a Community Citizens of the Year framed certificate to present to the entire department along with copies for each team member. Boomsma said he realized that not everyone would be able to attend, as someone needs to man the phones in the dispatch center in Dover-Foxcroft.
CITIZENS OF THE YEAR — The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office emergency dispatch team was honored by the Valley Grange of Guilford as the 2024 Community Citizens of the Year. The team was honored on May 17 during the Valley Grange’s annual Celebration of Community, From left, Piscataquis County Commissioner Paul Davis, Commissioners Chair Andy Torbett, Team Leader Eric Berce, and dispatchers Nathan Richards, Megan Leavitt, Alicia London, and Jessica Trewmyn.
Boomsma said that Sen. Stacey Guerin, R-Glenburn had a Legislative Sentiment for the dispatchers, and with Guerin unable to attend her Senate District 4 predecessor, current County Commissioner Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, made the presentation in her place.
“It’s got to be an amazing job, and it’s got to take an amazing person to do that job,” Boomsma said, saying the dispatchers handle calls of all sorts every day.
He said Valley Grange Overseer Pat Engstrom listened to her scanner during this past season’s winter storms. “During the big storm she was really amazed at the calmness of these people,” Boomsma said. He said the first day of one storm Piscataquis County dispatch handled about 500 calls.
“It takes more than just a paycheck to connect people who perhaps are in distress,” Boomsma said.
Citizens of the Year are voted on by Grange members, and the dispatchers were a unanimous pick.
Attendees had the opportunity to share accolades and testimonials. Brian Woodworth of Guilford, the 2012 Valley Grange Citizen of the Year, thanked all the dispatchers for their dedication and commitment.
“We feel better as a community for what you do, but we probably don’t thank you enough for what you do,” Woodworth said.
Davis mentioned his career in law enforcement and said “in any critical situation, any bad situation the dispatchers are the most critical people. I know that quite well, so thank you.”
Piscataquis County Sheriff Bob Young said it is amazing what the dispatchers do. He mentioned a situation when all at once calls came in from across the region concerning a car accident with personal injury, a gun being fired, and someone suffering a heart attack and the caller needing to be walked through how to perform CPR.
“That’s not an exceptional thing, they do that very often,” Young said.
The sheriff said dispatchers also handle very tough calls regularly, such as a mother who just found their 16-year-old deceased. “We are aware that they carry that and they carry that deeply,” Young said, saying the entire sheriff’s department appreciates all the dispatchers and are very proud of them.
Previous recipients of the Valley Grange Community Citizen Award are 2007, John and Jim Wentworth; 2008, Edie Hussey; 2009, John McKusick; 2010, the Guilford Primary School; 2011, Dodie Curtis; 2012, Brian Woodworth; 2013, the Piscataquis Observer and WABI-TV; 2014, Julie Orton; 2015, Matt Hackett; 2016, Sherry French; 2017, Will and Melissa Wedge; 2018, Jamie Kane; 2019, Judy Raymond and Barbara Austin; 2021, employees of RSU 68, SAD 4, SAD 41, and SAD 46; 2022, everyone in the area in honor of the spirit that held communities together for the previous two years; and 2023, the late Roger Ricker.