Nominations open now for emergency responder awards

For 30 years, Cook County has hosted the annual Emergency Services Conference – a training and networking event for all arms of emergency response and planning in the Arrowhead region. The 2019 conference, titled Superior Response, will be held Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. 

Cook County Emergency Management Director Valerie Marasco tells WTIP there is something for everyone at the conference, ranging from live-fire training to SafeTAlk Suicide Alertness Training, from 3Echo active shooter and ropes team training to street smart incident command sessions and much more.

The conference provides an opportunity for local emergency employees and volunteers to ask questions, learn skills, and train with emergency response colleagues.

And, Marasco stressed that the conference is a time to recognize the hard-working individuals in emergency services. There is a banquet on Saturday, April 27 and at that dinner, several awards will be presented. The awards are the Outstanding Emergency Service Provider, the Dolly Johnson Friend of Emergency Services Award, and new for 2019, Professional Meritorious Service and Exemplary Leadership Award. The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday, April 8.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence sat down with Emergency Management Director Marasco to learn more about those awards.

To see the conference agenda, click here. 

To register for the conference, click here.  

To nominate someone for the one of the emergency services awards, click here.

Photo: Emergency Management Director Valerie Marasco presents the Outstanding Emergency Service Provider Award to Keck Melby at the 2018 Emergency Services Conference. Photo by Rhonda Silence, WTIP