Barry Central Dispatch Director Phyllis Fuller has been named Public Safety Communications Center Director of the Year for 2017 by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO). Interim director and then director of Barry Central Dispatch  since June of 2007, Fuller has been with the organization for 24 years.

 

Fuller said the APCO’s state awards are announced at an awards banquet in October,  so when she attended a regular meeting she was caught by surprise to hear she was chosen Director of the Year.

 

“I lost it; it was emotional for me. They knew I would be in Hawaii in October and they moved it up for me,” Fuller said. “This is a very special honor. It means even more to me because it came from the staff. They’re fantastic, and I’m proud to represent them and this organization.”

 

The nomination form lists the qualities the nominees must have to be considered for Director of the Year. The bar is set high to become a nominee, with eight areas where a director must excel to be considered.

The form lists what the director must be responsible for:

* maintaining appropriate contacts with the public, users and the media on the proper use of the emergency communications system

 

* planning and directing the daily operations of the communications center

 

* developing and monitoring the policies and procedures of the communications center

 

* serving on advisory boards and other professional organizations and fostering the professionalism of the agency

 

*maintaining active liaisons with all participants, customers, emergency service providers and other departments and local, state and federal agencies relative to the operations of the communications center

 

*preparing and submitting an annual plan, including budget preparation and administration, program goals and Capital Improvement Plan.

 

*employing, scheduling, counseling, disciplining, and evaluating the performance of communications center staff  

 

* performing a variety of functions as directed that could include accounts payable and employee payroll.

 

After winning the APCO Director of the Year in Michigan, Fuller's name is now entered in the nominations for the national honor. Fuller repeated her initial reaction: “I was just shocked; it’s a great honor.”                                                                                                                                     

 

Photo: Barry Central Dispatch 911 director and now APCO’s Public Safety Communications Director 2017, Phyllis Fuller.