LARGO, Fla. — It marks 50 years since the first 911 call was made, and dispatchers are just as crucial to helping save the lives of those in need.
This week, Largo dispatcher Tamika Greer was given the National 911 Public Safety Professional Award by the NG9-1-1 Institute in Washington, D.C.
Greer was recognized for a call she took in August of 2017 when a deputy with Volusia County called to report a car in ditch that was registered to an address in Largo.
Greer sent officers to the location, where they did not make contact with the subject.
The Largo operator was able to find the elderly woman's phone number, called her, and discovered she was lost in the woods.
With no way to ping the location, Greer advised the woman to call 911 so they can find her.
Greer called back several minutes later, and the lady was unable to understand that she needed to call for help.
Instead, Greer was able to find out the woman pays T-Mobile for her phone bill -- so she called the phone carrier to ping the location to locate the woman in the woods.
"I don't feel like I'm a hero," she said, "I was just doing my training and doing what I felt was right."
