For nearly 22 years, the Erich family of Washam, Wyoming answered 911 calls and dispatched police, fire and medical units out of their home for residents and visitors in Daggett County, Utah. They also monitored the marine band radio for the area. While manning the family’s home-based business, the Erich’s listened for the phone to ring. During the night, they turned up the volume on the ringer to hear any calls that came in as they slept. From 1984 until their retirement in July of 2005, they didn’t go out to dinner, on vacation, hunting or fishing as a family-someone was always at home. The family refused monetary payment for their work, donating over 184,000 hours of service. There are just over 900 full time residents in Daggett County, but nearly 80 percent of the calls the Erich family received were from people vacationing in Flaming Gorge, which is within 5 miles of their home.
Jake Hunt is a 35-year veteran of public-safety. His career highlights include service with the Davis County Sheriff’s, Davis County Communications, as a Life Flight paramedic, and Operations Manager for the Utah Communications Agency Network. Jake’s unique perspective has allowed him to have an in depth understanding from the ground up as to the operational requirements for dispatch centers and communications systems to serve the user’s in the field. In his responsibilities in Davis County and today at UCAN he strives to support those in the field with the best communications available. His involvement in the filed has included development of sites and facilities, dispatch centers and management of one of the most complex public safety radio networks in the country. He has served as a Utah APCO President, on the Governors Taskforce on Wireless Communications and numerous committees for the furthering of public safety communications in Utah. His can-do attitude insures that communications are available to the users as needed when needed.
Carol Groustra has an extensive background in telecommunications services that began approximately 27 years ago as a dispatcher for the Utah Highway Patrol. Carol continued to serve as a dispatch supervisor, statewide dispatch coordinator, and is currently the Director of the Communications Bureau for the State of Utah, Department of Public Safety. Highlights of Carol’s career include being a member of the Utah 911 Committee Task Force, member of the Utah State EMS Bureau Dispatch Subcommittee, APCO National Executive Council Representative and Chapter President, and as a member of the Governor’s Task Force of Wireless Communications. Carol is a graduate of the Utah Law Enforcement Institute and the Utah Certified Public Managers Program. Carol created the “Dispatcher Standard Operating Procedure Manual” for the State of Utah and implemented the State of Utah’s Dispatcher Standards and Certification Training Program. Carol says the secret to her success is to “Surround yourself with people smarter than you and give them opportunities to shine.”
