Press: Watson Consoles Continues Annual Gratitude Campaign to Celebrate Telecommunicators Nationwide

Watson Consoles, a long-standing leader in the manufacturing of dispatch consoles since 1986, amplified its Gratitude Campaign in 2024 to acknowledge the unwavering dedication of emergency telecommunicators during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14-20, and renewed its pledge to support these pivotal members of the emergency services community throughout the year. 

"Our Gratitude Campaign is a chance to give back in a small but impactful way," Alexandra Reed, director of marketing at Watson, said. "The work of the emergency responders is not easy, and taking a moment to show our appreciation for this vibrant, courageous community was important. We were thrilled with the chance to connect with so many individuals and centers."

Watson strengthened its outreach through hands-on engagement with emergency communications centers. Gratitude teams visited 21 centers across seven states, including their home state of Washington, with the goal of connecting, gifting, and ultimately, to say ‘thank you.’ Watson employees contributed to the campaign with handwritten cards to express how much telecommunicators mean to them and their families. 

The campaign also featured partnerships with empowering podcast platforms We Speak Dispatch and Raspy Dispatcher, who helped spread awareness online and joined the gift drop-off efforts, personally thanking telecommunicators for the work they do to support local communities. Additionally, Ashley Valenzuela of Raspy Dispatcher created engaging educational content on social platforms to demonstrate how different centers support their communities.

“One of our goals for We Speak Dispatch this year is to give back and provide more support for dispatchers,” Jill Showalter of We Speak Dispatch said. “We’re excited to work with Watson Consoles on this, especially in our hometown.”

Included in their appreciation packages were personalized letters from school youth. Watson bridged the gap between education and first responder appreciation by partnering with a local elementary school where 5th graders wrote heartfelt thank-you notes to local dispatchers after witnessing a timely emergency response earlier that year.

Among the messages from the students was a letter from a boy who suffered a medical emergency in the school cafeteria. 

“We were all at lunch and some of us noticed Jesse fell over,” one classmate recalled. “His friends thought he was joking, but then they saw he was in trouble, so they called out for help.” 

Lunchroom attendees reacted swiftly and called 9-1-1; his classmates were relieved to see the quick response from area medical and fire assistance. Two days later, Jesse was welcomed back to class. 

Beyond the in-person deliveries, Watson expanded its annual digital campaign to gift thousands of 911 operators with Watson's collectible appreciation badges, symbolizing the respect and esteem held for these vital members of the community.

“These badges are a very small way for our team to say, 'We see you, we hear you, we appreciate you,'” Reed emphasized. “There is a buzz and excitement around collecting them that continues to grow each year. We love seeing the response and want to keep this tradition alive.”

About Watson Consoles

Watson is a trusted partner to 24/7 control rooms and mission-critical teams, providing expertly engineered products and unparalleled service since 1986. Our professionally tested and certified consoles are exceptionally durable, providing maximum comfort and personalized controls to keep your team operating at peak performance. Watson offers unparalleled service, dedicated support, and a warranty that stands behind you for the life of your console. We are proud to support and celebrate the heroes who are the first point of contact in emergency situations.