AUDIO: Northwest Central Dispatch System 9-1-1 Center retirement announcement and firefighters’ replies Tuesday, June 30, 2015.
Dispatchers and firefighters honored Jeannie Bolash when she retired after 35 years of service Tuesday June 30, 2015.
Her retirement on Thursday was announced just before a radio test on an emergency radio talk group.
It’s unknown if it was a coincidence or intentional, but the notification of Bolash’s retirement was at 10:33 a.m. CDT. “10-33” is the police 10-code for “EMERGENCY” which prefaces an emergency radio message.
Firefighters replied with best wishes, gratitude, and compliments. Rolling Meadows officers and firefighters even replied with a short scripted message on the radio.
Thirty-five years is a long time to handle the stress of taking emergency police, fire, and paramedic calls; and dispatching the appropriate response of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. The job meant sacrificing many holidays and long hours and weekends. Bolash — with her vast experience and reputation for top performance while multi-tasking and understanding priorities — was frequently called in to work when extraordinary emergencies were underway.
Bolash adapted extremely well — rising above the bureaucratic mechanisms at Northwest Central Dispatch System that can dish out a great deal of decision-making conflicts and organizational stress on an individual.
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