International Control Room Week is October 24 - 30, and it is the perfect time of year to thank all operators who work in mission-critical operations around the world. Thank you to all operators for your hard work and dedication. Your tireless work behind the scenes does not go unnoticed. Here at Evans, we appreciate the fact that many hard-working operators make a true difference in public safety!

International Control Room Week: Oct 24 - 30

Happy International Control Room Week to all operators across the industry. October 24 - 30 is your week, join us on social media as we celebrate operators who work hard, 24/7 in control rooms across the globe. We know you do hard work, every day, keeping the lights lit and the water running, ensuring we get timely responses from emergency services, and keeping the internet live. We thank you for the work you do!

In this blog post, we are focusing on the telecommunicators and dispatchers who keep our communities, families, and friends safe all year round. Telecommunicators have thankless jobs that often go unnoticed. They are constantly taking calls from individuals who are experiencing their potential worst day. It's a job that is not easy, but someone has to do it.

Be sure to thank control room operators for all the work they do, this week! Make sure to use these hashtags on social:

#ControlRoomWeek #ControlRooms #EvansConsoles

Evans Public Safety Story: The Girl Who Found Her Cape

Terri D Sherman has an amazing background and we no doubt consider her a Public Safety Superhero. Read on below to learn more about her story and how she overcame obstacles to get to where she is today. Enjoy!

The Girl Who Accidentally Found Her Cape

Written by: Terri Sherman

20 years ago it was common to find me sitting on my front porch talking with friends or family about a variety of topics. But when a particular nephew made his regular visit, we’d sit on the porch and talk. Our conversations always ended with the topic “What do I want to be when I grow up?” Although he was just barely 21, it was me that we were talking about.

I come from a military family and am the oldest of a patchwork family of seven kids. My maternal great-grandfather fought in World War I. My paternal grandfather, maternal great-uncle, and maternal grandfather all fought in World War II. My father and paternal uncle fought many tours in Vietnam and made a career out of the military. My oldest son is just completing Basic at Fort Sill. The one family member that strikes the most sensitive chord with me is my brother, Private First Class David Walter Kramer, KIA February 27, 1991, in Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Storm at the age of 20 years old. My constant companion and best friend made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

There is no greater service than what my family has given to our country.

I needed to honor that service. I have been on a life-long search to give honor to my family and country. I needed to find the superhero cape that fit me. We all wear different capes in our lifetime. Capes that give us the illusion of a superpower that helps us succeed in whatever we’re knee-deep in. I’ve worn the surgical technician cape, business owner cape, educator cape, executive cape, volunteer cape, and the “Mom” cape, my personal favorite. I like to quietly contribute, without accolades, to make someone’s day better. Though all of these activities and projects gave me a sense of purpose, I still felt that I was missing my calling. This is what my nephew and I would discuss for hours.

Life has a way of taking care of us all. When I became serious about finding my purpose, I resigned from a lucrative executive position and focused on my family and what my next step would be. I wanted to wear a cape that would change my focus; I wanted it to change my world. This search made me extremely restless and I couldn’t keep myself busy enough.

This made my family and friends crazy. It was like I was a very large balloon that someone had just let the air out of and I was flying everywhere, without direction, just waiting to land. It was just then, that I received a phone call from my sister who found an ad in a local newspaper “Hiring Now! 9-1-1 Dispatcher. Apply now…” Jennifer said, “Terri, this will be the perfect job for you! You have to apply.” I questioned why she thought it would be the perfect job for me. Her response was, “You take care of everyone you come in contact with, you already know how to do the job.”

I waited until the day the posting closed and submitted my application at 4:57 p.m. at the local sheriff’s office. I left with the attitude, “if it’s meant to be it will be,” convinced that I was not meant to be. One week later, I tested the highest out of 32 candidates. I still wasn’t convinced that I fit the mold.

On my first day at my new 9-1-1 Dispatcher job (I still can’t figure out how that happened) I sat in amazement at the young lady that was showing me just a taste of what I would do in a shift. I went home and cried, convinced that I had made a mistake. But my dad didn’t raise a quitter. I went back the next morning and then the next.

That was November 9, 2007, almost eleven years and three agencies later. Turning 50 years young, I am the manager of a joint communications center. I wish I had found this job when I was 20. All other capes I have worn, prepared me for this, the perfect cape.

I have had the privilege of assisting in saving lives. I have had the privilege of being the voice the mother screamed to for help when she found her son died at his own hands. I have had the privilege of being the last voice my first responder heard before he was called home. I have had the privilege of being told I was loved by the father who was able to bring his son back to life. I am a SUPERHERO, not by choice most days, only by circumstance. I will never be able to pay the debt my brother paid, but I hope that I bring some value to the gifts granted to me, the family which whom I am blessed, and the country I love passionately.

I am a 9-1-1 Dispatcher, what’s your superpower?

Thanks to Terri for sharing her story and we hope you enjoyed reading it too! Once again happy International Control Room Week to everyone in the industry. If you are interested in learning more about Evans, why not visit one of our experience centers? We have 3D walkthroughs that are viewable online as well but nothing beats an in-person visit. Click the image below to begin exploring: