YORK COUNTY — Terry Hall, York County’s Director of Emergency Communications, has been awarded the Richard DeMello Award by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).
According to York County, the award is the highest honor bestowed by the NPSTC and is given to an individual in public safety communications who has demonstrated the highest levels of personal and professional conduct and performance in the local, state, and national public safety communications arena.
Hall received the award at the Radio Club of America’s (RCA) Annual Awards Banquet earlier this month.
As director of York County Emergency Communications, Hall oversees the operations of the York-Poquoson-Williamsburg-James City County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center. He also serves as volunteer chairman of the NPSTC and an RCA Fellow, the county said.
Hall’s career in public safety has spanned over 30 years, during which the county said he has overseen the design and construction of the state-of-the-art 9-1-1 center and the consolidation of multiple jurisdiction emergency communication centers into one professional operation.
The county noted the center is known globally for its capabilities and cutting-edge technology, adding that under his directorship, it has led the way in deploying wireless location technology, Text to 9-1-1, and the migration to Next Generation 9-1-1.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award from an organization that I greatly respect. To be recognized in this manner by the NPSTC, an organization of highly skilled, outstanding professionals in the field of Emergency Communications, is a tremendous privilege,” Hall said.
Hall is past president of The Association of Public Safety Officials (APCO) International and, during his tenure, represented more than 20,000 members across the globe, chaired the APCO International Global Alliance, represented public safety worldwide, testified before Congress, and served on the University of Melbourne Disaster Strategic Board.
The Richard DeMello Award was created in 2006 to honor the achievement of the late Richard DeMello, a member of the RCA who was instrumental in the formation of the NPSTC.
