MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (December 1, 2022) — The Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications recently became the first emergency communications agency in West Virginia, and only the 22nd emergency communications center in the world, to be awarded “Triple ACE” Accreditation by The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for emergency Medical, Fire and Police dispatching.
“It’s been a journey. It’s a lot of hard work by a lot of people,” Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications Director Jennifer Swisher said.
Swisher said her staff, which began working toward accreditation in April 2021, accomplished an “amazing feat.” Swisher also credited the support of the Berkeley County Council, County Administrator Alan Davis and senior staff and “allied” law enforcement, fire and emergency medical response agencies for their support throughout the process.
“The work and dedication of the Emergency Telecommunicators, Quality Assurance and Administrative Team is nothing short of amazing,” Swisher said.
Berkeley County Council President Doug Copenhaver Jr. and fellow county council members congratulated Swisher and her staff on Thursday for “a great accomplishment” and thanked them for the critical services they provide the community.
“For you all to be among the top 12 in the world, words don’t say enough,” Copenhaver said.
Over 3,500 emergency communication centers worldwide use the medical, fire, police, and emergency nurse triage protocols developed and maintained by the IAED. The protocol-based system - known as the Priority Dispatch System - is recognized as the standard of care and practice for emergency dispatch, and is used in 46 countries.
Berkeley County’s application also made history for having Board of Accreditation Reviewer contributions internationally, from four countries (Austria, Canada, UK, USA) for the first time.
Accreditation is valid for a three-year period, during which all standards must be upheld. Emergency communication centers can earn multiple accreditations, one for each emergency discipline they service (medical, fire, police, and emergency nurse triage).
Among 22 emergency communication centers to be awarded Triple ACE accreditation, only 12 agencies serving communities in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia, currently maintain the accreditation designation.
Berkeley County will be recognized for its achievement at NAVIGATOR 2023 (April 18-20, 2023) in Denver, Colo.
“Accreditation is truly a pinnacle achievement”, said Christof Chwojka, Accreditation Board Chair at IAED. “We applaud the dedicated calltakers, dispatchers, and leadership team at the Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications for their commitment to quality, and for meeting that high standard that few achieve. We know their community can count on these first, first responders to do an outstanding job.”
IAED is the standard-setting organization for emergency dispatch services worldwide. Accreditation (and subsequent re-accreditation) from the IAED is the highest distinction given to emergency communication centers, certifying that the center is performing at or above the established standards for the industry. Centers who earn ACE status are the embodiment of dispatch done right, and have demonstrated strong local oversight, rigorous quality processes, and a commitment to data-driven continuous improvement.
IAED will present Berkeley County with an Accreditation plaque that commemorates their achievement. IAED Accreditation is the culmination of a lengthy, arduous process that includes the completion of the 20 Points of Accreditation, a detailed evaluation of performance by industry experts, and a final review and ruling by IAED.
"This process is undertaken by communications centers who desire to be the best of the best." explains Kim Rigden, Associate Director of Accreditation, IAED. "Achieving ACE confirms it. The Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications should be very proud of this achievement and the wonderful service they provide to the community and their emergency responders"
About Berkeley County Emergency Communications:
The Berkeley County Department of Emergency Communications is the primary answering point for 911 calls requesting emergency assistance from residents and visitors of Berkeley County, W.Va. The department’s 39 emergency telecommunicators answer more than 135,000 emergency and non-emergency calls annually.
Berkeley County Emergency Communications Media Contact
Jennifer Swisher
304-263-1340
jswisher@berkeleywv.org
About IAED
For more than 40 years, the IAED has been the standard-setting organization for emergency dispatch and response services worldwide, and is the leading body of emergency dispatch experts. We are a member-driven association working to serve the public through the professional development of dispatchers. Our various boards and councils work on behalf of the membership—and in coordination with other public safety organizations—to ensure that the comprehensive system of emergency dispatching is as safe, fast, effective, and up-to-date as possible.
IAED Media Contact
Kim Rigden
Associate Director of Accreditation, IAED
kim.rigden@emergencydispatch.org
385-429-9395