LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sept. 15, 2022) – The Kentucky State Police (KSP) announced that Corey Wright, a Post 4 Elizabethtown telecommunicator, received the ‘Telecommunicator of the Year’ award from the Kentucky Emergency Number Association (KENA) and the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO). Wright received the award during the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference opening ceremony held in Louisville.

According to KENA and APCO, the ‘911 Telecommunicator of the Year’ award is presented to a telecommunicator who has the ability to work through periods of high call volumes and priority incidents without sacrificing decisions and quality of work. The award recipient remains calm, negotiates, advises, and otherwise communicates with callers to obtain accurate and essential information necessary to establish priority and initiate a timely response to emergency calls.

Wright stated, “I am honored to receive this award from KENA/APCO. As Telecommunicators, we do not get into this career for the accolades, but it is great to receive them, especially in a profession that is often overlooked, until their services are needed.”

Wright is a Telecommunicator at Post 4 Elizabethtown and is an 18-year veteran of the agency. Wright was nominated for this award by his supervisor, Post 4 Telecommunications Supervisor Joey Mattingly, for his quick response to assist a fellow dispatcher who had a heart attack on duty.

On February 26, 2022, telecommunicator Chuck Stewart suffered a heart attack at KSP Post 4. Wright sprang into action, administering CPR and AED while dispatching EMS. Minutes later, Stewart was transported to the hospital by EMS, where he, unfortunately, succumbed to the effects of the heart attack. Mattingly says Wright’s quick actions bought precious time for Stewart’s family to see him.

“This incident, while tragic, truly exemplifies what it means to be a Telecommunicator in the first responder family,” said Mattingly. “Corey, we thank you for your service, not just to Chuck, but to us all.”

The mission of KSP is to promote public safety through service, integrity and professionalism using partnerships to prevent, reduce and deter crime and the fear of crime, enhance highway safety through education and enforcement, safeguard property and protect individual rights.

To learn more about KENA and APCO and its mission, visit the organization’s website.

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