Dispatchers recognized for quick thinking

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This article was published 25/02/2022 (1486 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three Brandon 911 dispatchers are being recognized for their calm and “incredible” response after a Manitoba First Nations Police Service officer was stabbed in the head in 2019.

Chrystal Strachan, Vanessa Lopez and Megan Keeping received the 2020 Teamwork Award from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials Canada, a position City of Brandon director of emergency communication Robert Stewart said normally plays out behind the scenes.

The night started when the officer responded to a call about four intoxicated people refusing to leave the Waywayseecappo First Nation Gaming Centre.

He saw open liquor outside their car and told them to dump it, but one of the men grew agitated. The confrontation continued to escalate, until the point the officer went behind the man to arrest him.

The accused turned around and punched the officer in the head, stunning him. He then stabbed him in the head and back repeatedly in quick succession. The blade penetrated his police vest and the two ended up on the ground.

“The officer then managed to fight him off and discharged his firearm, at which point he contacted us and said ‘Listen, I’m leaking’ was the quote he gave us, ‘I’ve been stabbed,’” Stewart said.

“[Chrystal] tried to contact him a couple times to get more information, but couldn’t get a hold of him,” he said.

Then, a separate line in the centre rang. It was the officer calling from his cellphone.

He put his cellphone on speaker and spoke to Lopez, who answered the phone, Stewart said. She told Strachan she was in contact and was on the phone with him for almost 18 minutes waiting for EMS to arrive at the scene.

“Her job I think at that point … really her task at that point is to talk to him, to help to keep him calm, to keep him totally updated on what’s going on as well as make sure the other dispatchers have the appropriate information they need in order to keep the resources that are on their way updated,” he said.

Other MFNPS and RCMP officers headed to the scene as well.

Lopez kept the officer company while he was grievously injured and kept him updated on the status of other first responders.

“She talked to him and only him for that 18-ish minutes, just making sure all his needs were taken care of and he was assured help was on the way.”

While this was happening, Keeping co-ordinated with other agencies also responding to the call.

“We don’t want it to be like a kid’s soccer game where everybody bumblebees to that location and nobody is covering the other areas,” he said.

Other dispatchers managed the separate 911 calls from other parts of the province that continued to stream in that night, Stewart said.

The award was to recognize the teamwork of the three dispatchers specifically — something Stewart said is essential in the job.

“The people that work in this industry … they’re there to look out for public safety and they’re there to look out for responder safety,” he said.

“They fall into their roles fairly easily. It’s training, it’s experience and it’s that drive to make sure that people stay safe and to keep them safe.

“I think there’s a bit of an adrenaline boost … it depends on what your individual stress response is. Some people in life sort of curl up when stress happens, some people in life get stronger when stress happens …. I think these staff members managed to just sort of knuckle down and get the job done that needed to get done.”

After, they were able to take a break for a few minutes before getting back to the regular calls that come in over the course of a night. In total, the “extremely stressful” situation lasted approximately 30 minutes before more help arrived for the officer, Stewart said.

The officer, who asked not to be named because he still works in Westman First Nations and was concerned about his safety, said he is affected every day by the stabbing.

He is doing well now, but took a month to heal from the nine stab wounds, including to the back of the head and back.

It was an adjustment once back at work and he said he thinks about calls differently now.

“It just opens your eyes to what can happen,” he said.

“You’re just more aware of the scenarios that can play out. When you sign up to be a police officer you know stuff can always go bad but having it actually happen to somebody — you go into it thinking ‘OK, well now I know what can happen.’”

Looking back on May 29, 2019, he said he is thankful for how calm the dispatchers were.

“They were trying to keep me calm while they’re still trying to dispatch EMS … they did an amazing job and they were super calm and cool and collected. They did a fantastic job that night,” he said.

“I’m sure if they were freaking out it would have escalated … it was a traumatic experience for me but also traumatic for them as well.”

Since then, he said he has been involved with Project Resilience 911, an initiative started by a Brandon Police Service officer to help support first responder and frontline workers’ mental health.

Manitoba First Nation Police Service Insp. Bruno Rossi said he was thankful the dispatchers were so well composed on the night of the incident. Some dispatchers accompany MFNPS officers on ride-alongs in First Nations, which Rossi said helps them get a better understanding of the communities and people they serve.

“They’re very professional and they’re always good. We have a great working relationship with Brandon 911 and I can’t speak enough about them, it’s always been great,” he said.

“I’m happy they were recognized for the job that they do because sometimes they’re left out and people don’t think about the dispatchers, but I’m very pleased their association has reached out and recognize what they did for our service and our member.”

The officer is still with the police force and has returned to active duty, Rossi said.

He has created a presentation on the incident about what to do if they find themselves in a similar traumatic situation.

“It’s worked very well and it’s actually brought him back quicker … if he didn’t engage in some of those programs.”

While the three dispatchers received the award, Stewart said all the dispatchers based in Brandon do great and important work that isn’t always recognized in the public eye.

“They did an amazing job, these three did an amazing job in this situation but my staff — all 32 of them — do an amazing job every day that they work.”