Dispatchers practice teamwork, celebrate ‘their’ week

Bella Vista’s dispatchers, as well as fire and police administrators, got together April 12 to celebrate National Telecommunicators Week.

“I can’t say enough about our dispatchers,” Fire Chief Steve Sims said. “That’s a tremendous job you all have to do.”

Everyone gathered at the Lake Avalon pavilion while animal control officer Amber Bowman and property clerk Christina Coenen-Lane took calls for the department.

After sharing pizza, the dispatchers got together for a series of team-building exercises. They worked together for a handful of tasks and rotated teams for each exercise.

The rotation, Police Capt. Tim Cook said, was to stress working with anyone, not just favorite co-workers.

“You don’t always get to work with your best friend,” he said.

“But again, this is emergency services.”

Dispatchers worked together to walk in unison on planks, carry a tennis ball suspended by strings and blindly manipulate a length of rope into a square, with rounds of trivia lodged between each challenge.

Dispatcher Shaylan D’andrea said she had a good time, particularly being able to spend time with co-workers on other shifts, whom she doesn’t see as often.

“This was awesome, it’s a perfect day for it,” she said. “It was nice getting to get outside.”

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Bella Vista police secretary Shelly Frederick, left, works with Capt. Tim Cook and Chief Ken Farmer to demonstrate a challenge in which teams had to walk in unison atop planks.

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Incoming Chief James Graves, left, stands with Fire Chief Steve Sims, communications manager Cassi Lapp and Chief Ken Farmer while dispatcher Jennifer Whitfield tries to arrange a rope into a large square. Dispatcher Leslianne Pratt stands to the side.

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Dispatchers Blake Henderson, left, Evelyn Vanness, Jamie Abbott, Shaylan D’andrea and Jennifer Whitfield pick slices of pizza while Fire Chief Steve Sims and Police Chief Ken Farmer talk.

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Incoming Police Chief James Graves, left, works with dispatchers Kelsey Unruh and Shaylan D’andrea to carry a ball with a washer suspended on three pieces of string. The team-building exercise was part of the department’s celebration of National...

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Dispatcher Evelyn Vanness, left, works with dispatchers Leslianne Pratt and Jennifer Whitfield to carry a tennis ball on a washer suspended from a trio of strings.

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Dispatchers and administrative staff sit down for pizza at the Lake Avalon Pavilion as part of a celebration for National Telecommunicators Week.