Pictured; Ken Crumpler (OEMS) and Nicola “Nicki” Tidey (Orange Co. Emergency Communications)

This past Saturday evening at the 32^nd Annual Virginia EMS Symposium the Governor’s EMS Award for Outstanding Contribution to EMS Telecommunications was awarded to Nicola Tidey.

Over the past eight years Nicola has been dedicated to the telecommunications field, originally starting as a dispatcher and later being promoted to shift supervisor and training coordinator for Culpeper County Public Safety Communications Center. She was responsible for the implementation of their accredited EMD program in addition to securing a federal grant to be used for essential training. She’s taken the initiative to complete a new software program that will improve emergency response times. This year she became the emergency 911 communications manager for Orange County and has brought her vast experience and training to this new position. She is also a Lieutenant with the Little Fork Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department in Culpeper Co. where she is a Firefighter and a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate. She is also a member of APCO International.

Nicola’s dedication and significant contributions to Virginia’s local, regional and state EMS system are exceptional and greatly appreciated by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Also nominated were Becky Carter-Dooley, Mallory Decker, Latara Frazier, Terry Kelly, Tamie Steighner, Chris Suits, Kim Trostle.

Courtesy Ken Crumpler, Communications Coordinator, Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services