TOWNVILLE, SC – Two large boxes filled with snacks, notes of encouragement, patches, challenge coins and rubber ducks were received last week from the Newtown (CT) Emergency Communications Center.
The Newtown team says it knows, firsthand, the challenge of responding to a school shooting.
That’s why communications director, Maureen Will and her team sent a care package to Anderson County 911 dispatchers.
“We hope these boxes help make your days go by a little easier,” said a note from Will. “The second box has our Sandy Hook ducks & you should have enough for each person,” the note went on to read.
During the incident at Townville Elementary on September 28th, 911 dispatchers were the first to learn of the situation and were responsible for making sure all appropriate emergency personnel were dispatched and communication continued to those on the scene.
They say 911 dispatchers work behind the scenes at every emergency and often go unnoticed and unrecognized.
“It is nice to know someone else cares and that someone else has been there and if we ever need to reach out to somebody, we know that they are there to help us get through this,” Jessica Trimble, Anderson County Emergency Communications Training Coordinator. “Knowing what you’ve been through and what they overcome, they are able to guide us and hopefully we will be better for it in the end.”
They says the show of support from the Newtown team was just one simple act of kindness from the first responder family that understands the daily challenge of taking a call and often not knowing the outcome of a situation.
“We give (the ducks) to you as you are now part of our Family & that one club no one wants to be a member of…If you ever need me, you know where to find me!” concluded the note.
Anderson County Emergency Services and the staff of the Unified Communications Center are very grateful for the gesture as well as for the outpouring of support from the community in the weeks since the incident occurred.
