A Tale of Two Dovers: A Transatlantic Rescue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 09/12/2024

Wendy Whittaker
Content and Communications Manager
Priority Dispatch
wendy.whittaker@prioritydispatch.net
(541)280-7172

DOVER, DELAWARE: August 27, 2024, was an eventful day for emergency medical responders across the globe. That day, at about 3:36 PM, the Dover Police Department received word of a distressed ship off the coast of England from a caller in Albania. While the caller meant to alert authorities in Dover, England, they mistakenly called the Dover, DE agency in the United States. 

The phone call was answered by Communications Operator MacKenzie Atkinson, who had been working at the Dover Police Department for just under a year. Understanding the risks of disconnecting from the caller, MacKenzie followed recent training she had received from Priority Dispatch and the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch by using the Fire Priority Dispatch System (FPDS) to collect life-saving information from the caller. The Dover Police Department went live with FPDS on August 7, 2024, meaning less than a month had passed since implementation before the agency received the international distressed ship call. 

Of the training, Emergency Communications Manager, Matthew Carey, said “Oh, I'm a huge advocate of it. I’m a big believer in it. I think it makes it easier for everyone … And honestly, if it wasn't for this EFD [Emergency Fire Dispatcher] training, I don't know if MacKenzie would know the right questions to ask.” 

While C/O MacKenzie used FPDS to collect vital information about coordinates and more, C/O Connor Logan began alerting international authorities. It took under four minutes to make contact with international agencies such as The French Coast Guard, His Majesty’s Coast Guard of England, the Dover Police Station in England, and more. It took about ten minutes more before the Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed they were routed to rescue the vessel. 

“From the time we took the call, we had help started internationally in 15 minutes and 48 seconds … 15 minutes [is] not a long time, but it is a long time. ... We had over 15 complaints during that time period that were just local complaints,” said Matthew Carey. 

While MacKenzie and Connor worked to save the international sinking vessel, C/O Patricia Mazzola and C/O Briana Dozier handled domestic calls to ensure there were no delays, putting the Dover Police Department in full operation.

President of Priority Dispatch, Brian Dale had this to say about the incident in Dover: “Our EFD training and protocols know no borders. The Emergency Dispatchers in Dover, Delaware gave life-saving instructions until the proper authorities were on scene to complete the rescue. So well done by the entire Dover, Delaware team. Hip Hip Hurrah!”

When asked what he’d like the public to know about this event, Matthew Carey responded with accolades for his dispatch team, saying, “They're extraordinary. They step up to the plate every single day.” 

On September 5, 2024, the Dover Police Department received word that the ship and all those aboard were safely returned to the Port of Dover, England due to the heroic efforts of MacKenzie, Connor, Patricia, and Briana that day. To honor the team’s efforts, Matthew Carey has nominated them to receive a Dover PD Distinguished Unit Commendation.

About Dover Police Department:

 It is the mission of the Dover Police Department to proudly serve the community by protecting the life and property of its citizens, enforcing the law, and working in partnership with the public to enhance the quality of life and nurture public trust by holding ourselves to the highest standards of performance and ethics. Learn more at doverpolice.org.

About Priority Dispatch Corp.:

Priority Dispatch™ is the world leader in providing research-based protocol solutions to emergency call centers in medical, fire, police, and nurse triage disciplines. For over 44 years, EMS and 911 agencies have used the Medical Priority Dispatch System™ (MPDS®), initially with cardsets and now only fully represented in ProQA software. Our solutions have been time-tested in 30 languages across hundreds of millions of calls and serve communities in thousands of agencies in 59 countries. Get to know us at prioritydispatch.net.