At this time every year, Union County E-911 Dispatch receives special recognition for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, during which time the community shares in the love the dispatchers have developed among themselves as members of a tight-knit public safety family.
In 2026, the corresponding appreciation dinner fell on Monday, April 13. It was a bittersweet event, most notably because it was the last time the dispatchers would observe the recognition at the facility located for years in the basement of the old Nursing Home on Hunt-Martin Street.
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Right now, a brand-new, state-of-the-art 911 Center is being built on Shoe Factory Road, expected to open later this summer, and while dispatchers can’t wait to move into their upgraded digs, they have made a lot of memories at the soon-to-be-vacated old headquarters.
A particularly heartwarming highlight of the evening was the inclusion of the Millers, whose family experienced a near tragedy when their boat exploded on Lake Nottely last July 4, injuring seven people aboard, including children, and sending two to the hospital with severe burns.
Residents Art and Debbie Miller come to the appreciation dinner every year to say thank you to the un-seen heroes of emergency response. Art is himself a local volunteer firefighter after a long career in public safety, so he knows what it takes for the dispatchers to do their jobs well.
But the 2026 appreciation was especially touching, as all the Millers attended to thank their “guardian angels” for coordinating the valiant response that got their beloved family members quickly to safety and, ultimately, to recovery – with no loss of life.
“They’re here because of you, and I am not capable of thanking you enough,” mom Brittany Miller said through tears. The Millers also provided gifts to the dispatchers, who were grateful in return.
Another highlight was the announcement that Amanda Hammond had earned “Dispatcher of the Year” for showcasing the epitome of what it means to be a dispatcher, that is, being the calm voice marshaling life-saving resources on the other end of people’s most desperate situations.
Hammond was selected for the award based on a poll of all local first responder agencies, including the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Blairsville Police Department, Union County Fire Department, Union General EMS and Union County Schools Police.
911 Director David Dyer said the voting responses described Hammond as “always dependable, always professional,” with several even saying they “can always trust this person to know what to do” when sending them into any situation, and that she was “always watching my back.”
Dispatchers were also pleased to receive a proclamation by Sole Commissioner Harold Collins and Blairsville Mayor Buddy Moore declaring the week of April 12-18, 2026, as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Union County.
The elected officials made the proclamation “in honor of the men and women whose diligence and professionalism keep our county, city and citizens safe,” and Collins additionally presented Certificates of Appreciation to 911 Director Dyer, 911 Lt. Millie Baxter and Dispatcher Maggie Guerrier.
Representing the Union County, GA First Responders Organization, Guerrier thanked her fellow dispatchers for their tireless dedication and presented them with gifts on behalf of the UCGA1R Board.
Yet another special guest was Union General Chief Nursing Officer Julia Barnett, who brought gifts and thanked the dispatchers for their commitment to Telephone CPR and for keeping the public safe, noting that, “At the hospital, we see the results of what you guys do every day.”
And Union County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Josh Berry thanked dispatchers for the job they do and stated that he refers to them as his own “guardian angels” – a repeated theme of the evening.
For their part, 911 Director Dyer and 911 Lt. Baxter, the latter of whom oversees daily operations at the center, commended the dispatchers for the abundant work and care they put in 24/7/365.
“Every dispatcher, every day, saves somebody’s life,” Lt. Baxter said. “Without y’all and the job you do, I couldn’t do my job. So, I appreciate y’all and your professionalism, for being on it and getting what you need, doing what you need to do and doing it right, to get people where they need to go.”
Those sentiments were shared by first responders attending from other local agencies, after which dispatchers received years of service recognitions and additional gifts, including from Dyer and Baxter, Volunteer Station No. 4 and the Commissioner’s Office.
As for the dinner part of the appreciation, everyone enjoyed delicious barbecue baked potatoes catered by Morganton-based food truck Smoked N’ Loaded.
