Allen County’s emergency communications team received national acclaim at the annual Navigator conference, held April 14–17 in Orlando, Fla., where they were honored with the Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) designation for medical dispatch.
Representing Allen County at the event were 911 Director Chelsie Decker, Emergency Management Director Jason Trego, and Dispatcher Nicole Haney. The conference, a global gathering for dispatch professionals, included attendees from countries as far away as New Zealand, the Netherlands, Austria, Bahrain, Canada, and Mexico.
“It is considered the premier dispatch conference,” of the world, said Trego. 
THE ACE designation is awarded by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) and is reserved for high-performing agencies that demonstrate sustained excellence in emergency communications. Allen County had already achieved ACE status for fire dispatch in 2022. The recent recognition in medical dispatch places them as the third in the state of Kansas with the distinction, alongside Franklin and Johnson counties.
“This is one of the highest certifications that a 911 center can achieve,” Trego noted.
The accreditation process requires centers to meet strict standards and maintain those benchmarks for at least three months before applying.
“The accreditations renew every three years, so we’re working on the renewal for our fire ACE right now,” explained Trego.
BEYOND HIS role in Allen County, Trego also serves on the IAED Board of Accreditation Reviewers.
“There are only 19 people worldwide that can review ACE applications from dispatch centers,” said Trego. “I am lucky enough to be one of them.”
Trego noted that the ACE designation brings more than just prestige. It offers practical benefits like greater visibility in the field, support in litigation and liability matters, and reinforces a commitment to excellence in community service.
“The distinction is a badge of honor for those who work in emergency services in Allen County,” he said.
The conference also served as a platform for professional development and teaching. Trego and IAED analyst Leslie Janzen co-taught an eight-hour course on advanced data analysis.
“We went over what dispatchers are doing right when they are taking calls and finding opportunities for areas of improvement,” said Trego. “We also made a spreadsheet dashboard together over the 8-hour class.”
The comprehensive session equipped attendees with advanced skills in Microsoft Excel to analyze quality assurance data — a method Janzen helped implement in Allen County.
Trego and Decker also co-led a session on achieving ACE designation as a small agency, sharing their experience in breaking the process into manageable steps and tackling challenges specific to smaller operations.
TEACHING AT the conference provided more than just professional recognition — it also came with financial support. “Our airfare travel, conference passes, and partial stay in our hotel were covered,” said Trego. “Teaching the classes automatically paid our way to the conference and covered a lot of our costs.”
