DENISON, TX-- National Public Safety Telecommunications Week is designated to recognize 911 dispatchers; the first people to answer and assist when emergency calls come in.

Thursday, 85 of those dispatchers from across Grayson, Fannin and Cooke counties got a special ‘thank you’ from their communities at the Denison Country Club.

Dispatchers like Shanna Kenney monitor up to seven phone lines at one time over the City of Denison's 22 mile coverage area.

"They are basically the lifeline for not only the officers, but also for the people who are calling." Lt. Mike Eppler with the Denison Police Department, said.

The dispatch office in Denison was decorated with a Fiesta theme, in preparation for the second annual banquet, sponsored by TCOG.

At the celebration, dispatchers were presented awards like Telecommunicator of the Year, Silent Hero and the Life Saving Award.

"It's really a complicated job and it takes a special person to do it," Lt. Eppler, said.

Krystal Camp received this year’s ‘Life Saving Award’ for using her skills to talk someone out of committing suicide, a nerve-wracking job that she's had to do twice.

"Last Christmas Eve night, I was working midnights and I had an elderly gentlemen call me whose mother was in the hospital dying and he planned on hanging himself, and I was able to talk him out of that one, too," Camp, said.

"The dispatchers are trained in order to be able to talk to people, and say the things to them that will not only calm them down, but also to walk them through certain things, where it could be a tragedy if that weren't happening," Lt. Eppler, said.

Although the job can be stressful, Camp, says the benefits are well worth it.

"It's just real rewarding and really fun. I enjoy helping people and being able to make a difference and not actually be in danger of being on the street."

A special congratulations to Vicki Sprinkle with the Whitesboro Police Department who was awarded the Telecommunicator of the Year award.

Sprinkle handled multiple high priority calls including two water rescues, a fatal accident, a structure fire, and a robbery all within the first four hours of her shift.