Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: December 15, 2020 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-c <br /> SUBJECT: Proclamation Recognizing Dinah L. Jeffries <br /> DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Proclamation Kirby Saunders 919-245-6135 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation recognizing and expressing gratitude to Dinah L. Jeffries <br /> for her devotion and service to Orange County. <br /> BACKGROUND: After 37 years of dedicated service to the Orange County community, Dinah <br /> Jeffries is retiring at the end of December 2020. <br /> Dinah Jeffries began her career of service with Orange County in 1983 as a temporary youth <br /> counselor in a summer program with the Recreation Department. Three months later, Dinah <br /> started her public safety journey when she was hired as Telecommunicator with the Emergency <br /> Services department. Dinah was promoted to a Communications Shift Leader in 1988, a role she <br /> served in for five years until transferring to a training position. In 2007, Dinah assumed the role of <br /> Communication Operations Manager and lead the 9-1-1 Communications Division through the <br /> implementation of new technologies, adoption of national protocols, and a re-design of the current <br /> center at Meadowlands Drive. <br /> Dinah Jeffries made history in 2016 when she became the first woman and the first woman of <br /> color charged with leading the Emergency Services department. In 2020, Ms. Jeffries provided <br /> invaluable leadership in guiding the County wide response to the COVID-19 Pandemic alongside <br /> Health Director, Quintana Stewart. In addition to her service to Orange County, Dinah also made <br /> significant contributions to her profession by serving as a board member to the North Carolina <br /> 911 Board and the NC Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials <br /> (APCO) Executive Board. For 37 years, Dinah Jeffries has led with integrity, compassion, <br /> professionalism and unwavering dedication to her communities and those she had been charged <br /> to lead. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the <br /> proclamation. <br />