APCO Canada Honours 9-1-1 First Responders from 2014 Moncton Shootings

BANFF, AB, Oct. 31, 2016 /CNW/ - The Association of Public Safety Communication Officials of Canada (APCO Canada) is honoured to present the APCO Canada Teamwork Award to the 9-1-1 first responders of the tragic 2014 Moncton shootings, which took the lives of three Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers.

Each year, APCO Canada recognizes leaders in the public safety communications industry at its Annual Awards Gala sponsored by Motorola Solutions. The 2016 gala will be held in Banff, Alberta at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel on November 9, 2016 as part of APCO Canada's annual four-day conference and tradeshow. The gala honours industry leaders in the categories of Telecommunicator of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Technologist of the Year, and Teamwork.

Esther Gordon, Lisa Rouse, Linda Bastarache, Dan Fougere, and Harold Sears of the Codiac RCMP Operational Communications Centre (OCC) in Moncton, New Brunswick have been selected as the recipients of the Teamwork Award for their heroic actions during the 2014 Moncton shootings.

"Nominations for the APCO Canada Awards Gala are usually from an event that happened the year prior, but due to the circumstances, we made an exception for this group," said Ronald Williscroft, President of APCO Canada. "This team demonstrated true commitment to professionalism and heroism during a traumatic and shocking incident, and they continue to offer one another emotional support as they overcome the post-traumatic effects."

Public safety communications officials are the very "first" first responders and are often unsung heroes. We received many outstanding nominations from across the country and are pleased to honour this team from Moncton. The gala will give delegates an opportunity to honour and reflect on the work that is accomplished in the public safety communications industry as a whole.

"Our job is unlike any another," said Paula Sears, Codiac RCMP OCC Supervisor. "We cannot get up and take a breather when the going gets tough. That's when we dig in and get the job done… These five are a true example of teamwork. This is a team who worked together and helped one another through the toughest day of their career."

The APCO Canada Awards Gala is an annual event held during APCO Canada's four-day Conference and Tradeshow. The gala will be held in the Alhambra Room at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 6:00 pm (Mountain Standard Time). Media are invited to attend.

About APCO Canada
The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, Canada, Inc. (APCO Canada) is a voluntary, not-for-profit association dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. As an organization, APCO represents the professionals who supply, install and operate Emergency Communications Systems across Canada, acting as the voice for its membership and an advocate for their critical role in keeping the public safe. With over 500 members across the country, APCO Canada has established a valued presence in the industry as the voice of front-line professionals to their agencies, government, and to the public.

SOURCE APCO Canada

Media Contact: Kimberly Mercader, Marketing Manager, Spark Event Management (on behalf of APCO Canada), [email protected], + 1 [phone]