GREAT FALLS — Liz Bauer, the assistant center manager at the Great Falls Interagency Dispatch Center, was recognized recently with the "Excellence in Dispatching" award for 2023.
The interagency award is presented by the Northern Rockies Coordination Center to a person who exemplifies a "high standard of excellence in professional dispatch and coordination procedures," according to a news release from Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest.
Liz has worked as an initial attack dispatcher for nearly 10 years. Among her duties are acting center manager, assisting neighboring dispatch centers, and mentoring new dispatchers.
“We are so fortunate to have Liz on our team,” said Dispatch Center Manager Travis Collier. “Her professionalism and dedication to the dispatch mission are outstanding. She is a bright, shining star of the next generation of dispatchers who are moving into dispatch management.”
The news release says that dispatch centers are among the most "dynamic atmospheres" to work in within the U.S. Forest Service.
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While emergency and fire personnel are looking after the safety of the community, the dispatch operators are looking out for the safety of the emergency personnel.
From tracking employees working across rugged landscapes to sending initial attack resources at the first report of a fire, dispatchers demonstrate an exceptional level of focus and specialized skills in communication and decision-making to carry out their work successfully.
