International Academies of Emergency Dispatch - IAED

Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) Emergency Communications Center (Sanford, Florida, USA) is a countywide agency that provides both medical and fire service to individual cities under a consolidated system. Beyond Sanford, this includes Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Lake Mary, Longwood, Oviedo, and Winter Springs. In 2025, SCFD handled nearly 127,000 calls in total, though only 55,000 came through the 911 line. That’s an average of 350 calls per day with 98% answered in 10 seconds or less.

But what makes SCFD special isn’t their ability to serve the public round the clock. It’s the way they work as one.

“Our shifts stay together,” SCFD Emergency Communications Program Manager Keri Troyano said. “That key element has created a really strong bond among our EMDs and EFDs. In fact, some have worked alongside each other for years, and you can tell from the seamless ways they operate.”

You can learn more about SCFD by reading the article on our site: https://www.iaedjournal.org/words-that-matter

Seminole County Fire Department

Australasia NAVIGATOR 2026 is looking for speakers from across the field of emergency dispatch!

If you’re not sure what to present, here are a few ideas:
Real-world case studies from your centre
Quality assurance and training improvements
Technology or process changes
Mental health and resilience
Lessons learned from difficult calls

You don’t need to be a seasoned speaker. If it helped your team, it could help someone else.

The submission deadline is 24 July 2026 so start brainstorming!

Submit your session proposal today: https://tinyurl.com/IAEDANZ2026

The IAED is delighted to announce that Morris County Communications Center (New Jersey, USA) has been accredited as the world’s 317th Medical ACE! Congratulations to all of you for your tireless effort in making sure that your community receives the best possible care.

"Retirement hasn’t extinguished former firefighter Federico Brizio’s passion for helping others, which is no surprise given his impactful career," writes Cynthia Murray in a Your Space article all about Brizio and his incredible contributions to the industry.

"Brizio reflects fondly on his 40 years of service in Genoa (Italy), including 15 years in helicopter rescue, operating “under the belly” to stabilize and extract victims from rocks, rivers, and complex terrains.

"Within the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), Brizio became a member of the Technical Assistance Support Team (TAST) for the Italian National Fire & Rescue Service in 2017 and joined the Italian International Missions Team in 2018.

"These positions led Brizio to advise and support communities worldwide in response to large-scale disasters, taking him to Turkey, France, Bulgaria, Sweden, Croatia, Belgium, Libia, Chile, Slovakia, Lebanon, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Belgium, among others.

"With so much travel, Brizio always had his bag packed and ready in his vehicle’s trunk, available at a moment’s notice for another mission."

You can check out the full piece here: https://www.iaedjournal.org/fulfillment-beyond-retirement

Our latest Journal Feature is all about cybersecurity!

“When we become vulnerable to cyberattack, all other domains fail,” said Joe Wassel, Civilian Director of Communications for the United States Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2008. “Think about life flight trying to fuel up before transport and the credit card doesn’t work. If you can’t get authorization from the pumps, your resources are grounded. Attackers don’t have to blow up the helicopter to disrupt your ability to respond to an emergency.”

You can check out the full Feature article on our website: https://www.iaedjournal.org/cybersecurity-is-up-to-you

In the latest "Surviving the Headset" article, Heidi DiGennaro asks you to consider your center's level of excellence and attitude toward the protocols:

"When you do the bare minimum because you don’t like the protocols or don’t have faith in them, you are not only putting yourself at risk, but you are not taking advantage of the benefits they provide in your role as an Emergency Dispatcher."

Check out Heidi's full column here: https://www.iaedjournal.org/your-level-of-excellence

Submit your nomination for the UK & Ireland NAVIGATOR 2026 Dispatcher of the Year!

Help recognize an emergency communications professional who demonstrates excellence in calltaking, professionalism, and service to their community.

Nominations can highlight leadership, lifesaving efforts, dedication to training and standards, and meaningful impact within their centre.

The deadline for submissions is 4 July 2026.

Nominate someone today: https://www.emergencydispatch.org/what-we-do/dispatcher-of-the-year

Submit your nomination for Euro NAVIGATOR 2026 Dispatcher of the Year!

Recognize an outstanding emergency communications professional who exemplifies excellence in calltaking, protocol use, and service to their community. Nominations can highlight leadership, lifesaving efforts, dedication to training standards, and impact within their centre or organization.

The submission deadline is 4 July 2026.

Nominate someone exceptional today: emergencydispatch.org/what-we-do/dispatcher-of-the-year

Samantha Hawkins, CMCP, muses:

"Remember the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson? It’s one of those timeless romantic comedies that’s equal parts funny and painfully relatable. I was thinking about it one night—probably around 2 a.m. because that’s when all the deep dispatcher thoughts happen—and it hit me: What if we flipped that premise into something closer to home?

"What if, instead of a relationship comedy, it became a workplace reality check?"

Find out how to lose a 911 trainee in 10 ways in Sam's full article: https://www.iaedjournal.org/how-to-lose-a-911-trainee-in-10-ways