The Office of Emergency Management and Communications 9 1 1 FCOII Amanda Garr will be honored on National First Responders Day in New York City’s Time Square on Monday, October[...]

National First Responders Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary dedication of first responders nationwide. On Monday, October 28, hundreds of police officers, firefighters, nurses, EMTs, and other first responder professionals from across America join First Responders Children's Foundation at a Times Square ceremony. The day honors the bravery, selflessness, and unwavering service of the heroes who protect and serve our communities every day.

OEMCs FCOII Amanda Garr will be recognized for her service and receive an award on behalf of all 9-1-1 dispatchers and call takers throughout the country. Each year the First Responders Children's Foundation selects an individual representing each first responder category and they will be honored for their heroism and receive an award on behalf of all first responders in their respective fields. They are true heroes, representing the service and sacrifice of all in their profession.

The Ceremony will be live-streamed on Monday, October 28 at 10 a.m. EST (9 a.m. CST)*. To access the feed, visit https://1strcf.org/sound-the-siren/

The First Responders Children's Foundation (FRCF, a national 501(c)3 organization), dedicated to serving the children of U.S. first responders including firefighters, police officers, paramedics, EMTs, corrections officers, and 911 dispatchers, will honor National First Responder's Day (October 28) and host its annual "Roll Call of Heroes" ceremony on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 10 a.m. in the heart of New York City's Times Square.

FCOII Amanda Garr

Earlier this year, FCOII Amanda Garr received a Commendation from Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications for the administration of CPR instruction over the phone before 1st responders arrived on scene. Her actions resulted in a life saved.

On October 21, 2023, FCOII Amanda Garr accepted a call for an adult male who was unconscious and "not breathing normally". FCOII Garr instructed the caller to initiate CPR immediately. The victim was laid on his back and compressions started within one minute. Even before compressions were started, Garr quickly sent the event over to dispatch for a Chicago Fire Department ambulance. FCOl Garr remained on the phone assisting and encouraging the exhausted citizen to continue CPR until the paramedic-equipped engine arrived and took over medical control. Ambulance 62 assumed control of the scene and would eventually transport the victim, awake and breathing, to the Hospital. Days after the incident it was realized that the victim was "one of our own" a retired Chicago Fire Department member, who made a full recovery.

For additional information visit the OEMC website at Chicago.gov/OEMC. Follow the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Facebook (@coemc), X /Twitter.com (@ChicagoOEMC), Instagram (chicago_oemc_911), and

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