"Never forget why you do this job." These powerful words were spoken by Adam Lee, the son of Denise Amber Lee, whose tragic story is the very reason our Foundation exists. Adam carries forward his mother’s legacy, reminding 9-1-1 professionals of the life-saving impact their work has every single day. In a video filmed for our Be the Difference Conference, Adam made this heartfelt plea to dispatchers, urging them to recognize the critical role they play in public safety. His message is a deeply personal one for us—it reinforces why we fight for better training, stronger protocols, and a commitment to excellence in emergency communications. Behind every call is a person in crisis, and the dedication of dispatchers can mean the difference between life and death.  

Every shift, dispatchers answer the call—sometimes in the most harrowing moments of someone's life. Arkansas 9-1-1 dispatcher Jennifer Hawkins, of Crittenden County ECC, exemplified this dedication when she de-escalated a tense situation with an armed suspect, ensuring the safety of officers and bystanders, all through the power of her voice and training. For her extraordinary work, she was honored with the Distinguished Service Award. Read more about her inspiring story here.

Coming off of last month’s 9-1-1 Goes to Washington, hosted by NENA, the importance of 9-1-1 professionals has never been more evident. Dispatchers are the first link in the emergency response chain, even when those emergencies involve unexpected requests—like "emergency donuts." Yes, you read that right. An Oklahoma toddler dialed 9-1-1 to express a dire need for donuts, proving that no two calls are ever the same and that dispatchers must always be ready. Check out the story here.

This Month in Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance (QA) is the backbone of a high-functioning 9-1-1 center. Regular calibration sessions with QA staff are crucial for maintaining consistency in call reviews. As policies evolve and interpretations shift, it is easy for QA evaluations to become inconsistent. That is why ongoing calibration sessions ensure that everyone is on the same page, evaluating calls fairly and effectively.

The Denise Amber Lee Foundation played a vital role in developing the national standard for quality assurance reviews. Calibration ensures that QA evaluators maintain consistency in scoring, preventing discrepancies that could arise from different interpretations of policy. You can access the full standard here.

Even with advancements in AI-driven Quality Assurance, manual reviews remain essential. While AI can streamline evaluations, human oversight is necessary to ensure accurate interpretations and maintain consistency across both systems. A balanced approach, incorporating AI insights alongside manual reviews, will lead to the highest quality assurance outcomes and ensure the best service for those in need.

What We Do Wednesdays!

This month, we are launching What We Do Wednesdays, a social media campaign showcasing the outstanding training provided by the Denise Amber Lee Foundation. Each Wednesday, we will highlight an instructor and their invaluable contributions to 9-1-1 training.

Here are some of the instructors we will be featuring this month:

• Tina DeCola: teaches Human Trafficking Preparedness for the 9-1-1 Professional, a subject she is deeply passionate about. She serves on the Southern Nevada Human Trafficking Task Force and is actively working to pass legislation requiring first responder training in Nevada. She also co-teaches Domestic Violence: Why They Stay with Tanya Lee.
• Karlea Brown Orrison: instructs Frontline Supervisor Essentials, equipping frontline supervisors with the skills necessary to thrive in the fast-paced world of 9-1-1. She currently serves as the Administrator of Training for Frederick County, Maryland.
• Amber "AJ" Darby: leads Building a Successful CTO Program, a course designed to help Communications Training Officers (CTOs) build strong teams and develop essential training skills.

Stay tuned throughout the month to learn more about our incredible instructors and the courses they offer.

Upcoming Conferences

We are excited to attend both the Texas Public Safety Conference and Navigator this year. If you are attending, be sure to stop by our booth and say hello—we’d love to connect with you.

Speaking of Adam's phrase—“Never forget why you do this job”—this also sits on the inside of the wristbands we created for the Foundation. If you see one of us, whether it’s in class or at a conference, be sure to grab one from us. Keep that phrase close to you for when you need it most in this tough job. It’s a small reminder with a big purpose: to ground you in the "why" when the work feels heavy.

Finally, to every dispatcher out there: Thank you. Your dedication, resilience, and commitment to public safety do not go unnoticed. You are the unseen lifeline that holds communities together. You are the calm in the chaos. You are the voice in the darkness.

Never forget why you do this job.