HOLBROOK — The Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center is pleased to announce that Director Steve Hooke was named the Director of the Year for 2019 by the Atlantic Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Professionals (APCO).
Director Hooke was presented with the award at the Atlantic Chapter’s annual Public Safety Awards program at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in Falmouth last fall.
The Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center (HRECC) is part of APCO International, the world’s largest organization of public safety communications professionals. The Atlantic Chapter, which includes all the New England states as well as New York and New Jersey, is one of 43 APCO chapters across the United States.
The awards committee selected Director Hooke to receive the award due to his leadership qualities, professionalism, dedication and for being a driving force for helping pave the way for emergency communications regionalization in Massachusetts.
Director Hooke is responsible for a staff of 32 people as well as the daily operation of the HRECC.
“Director Hooke wears many hats, and has put this operation first for many years on behalf of the citizens of the towns we serve, the responders of the towns we serve and our own staff,” said Lauren Mielke, HRECC Deputy Director of Communications. “He has an open-door policy and is available by phone all hours of the day and night. Often times he is the one deserving of receiving credit, but being the strong leader that he is, will forgo receiving it in order to ensure his staff is being recognized.”
Director Hooke began his career with the Holbrook Fire Department as a dispatcher 26 years ago, at the age of 19. Four years later he was promoted to a supervisor position. Over the years he has worked diligently to promote and build the department from a one-person dispatching operation to a large regional center.
Thanks to his efforts, the HRECC is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion project that will allow the center to add significantly more staff and bring on several other communities to its roster of clients.
“It was a terrific honor to be named Director of the Year from the Atlantic Chapter of APCO,” Director Hooke said. “The award is truly a symbol of all the hard work, dedication and commitment of our entire staff and I share the honor with each of them.”
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