Celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week with us as we hear from our dispatchers.
Tyler Frier
What advice would you tell your younger self?
I would tell myself that it’s ok to make mistakes, learn from them and use it to make the next experience better. Life is unpredictable, slow down and enjoy the journey. Enjoy the younger years a bit more and nothing that is going on now is going to matter in the next 5 years.
Stephan Byerly
Who inspired you to pursue a career in Telecommunications?
The one person to inspire me to take this step was a former 2nd shift supervisor and long time family friend, Johnny Powell Jr. He recommended the job to me as he knew my work ethic and I am also truly grateful to him as I was at a low point in my life and jobless as the Covid pandemic had just started and every place of employment had virtually shut down. Not only had he spoke on my behalf to get me an interview that I may have never had the opportunity to get, but also introduced me to a great work environment that has honestly felt like extended family.
Austin Pearce
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
Creating relationships with not only my fellow dispatchers, but officers as well. It is a rewarding feeling to be recognized as not just a voice on the radio, but as a resource or even a lifeline for our Game Wardens. Their appreciation pushes most of us in dispatch to keep our quality of work at its highest.
Nate Johnson
Why did you choose a career at SCDNR?
Being involved in public service is something that has always given me a sense of satisfaction. Having access to healthy and diverse natural resources is at the core of what I believe makes South Carolina such an amazing place to call home. Working in the radio room is a fantastic opportunity to serve both the public and our officers that protect our natural resources.
Kylie Reynolds
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
My favorite aspect of my job is the relations I have formed within the work place with officers, dispatchers, and other employees. These relationships I have formed will be lifelong relationships and I would have never of met them if it wasn’t for this job.
Kylie Frick
What’s your favorite hunting or fishing memory?
My favorite fishing memory is when I was younger, I used to go fishing on my grandfather’s pond with him and my grandmother almost every day and then we would go back home and clean the fish together and fry them.
Kristen Kraus
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
My favorite aspect of working as a telecommunicator is interacting with the conservation officers and the public. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories.
Karl “Kale” Bowers
Who inspired you to pursue a career in Telecommunications?
Shortly after college I was job hunting and still had DNR in my mind, but did not know how to go about getting a foot in the door for the agency or where to even start. Sidney Rainwater and I had still been in touch, and he alerted me to the opening of a position in the radio room. He gave me a short rundown of what DNR dispatchers do and it seemed like something I would greatly enjoy doing, so I submitted my application and was hired in April of 2020.
Bryce Wojcik
What advice would you give to your youngerself?
If I could tell my younger self one thing it would be: “Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, you’ll be better off for it.” Prior to my joining the Radio Room and starting my telecommunications career I was a super shy and quiet kid, in my two years of being here I have been forced to come out of my comfort zone in order to do my job effectively. By doing so I feel it has provided me great personal growth and helped better me for any future opportunities that may come my way.
Briana Vaughn
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
My favorite aspect of the job would be getting to communicate with the officers. The officers operate directly with the public in a way we do not and hearing from them is eye-opening. Whether it be the stories of previous jobs or something they are working on now, they have so much heart and effort in everything they do.
Ashlin Blewer
What’s your favorite hunting or fishing memory?
f all the memories I have, i’d have to say my favorite is the last fishing trip i went on with my grandad. He drove the boat into a wasp nest for me to tie off and the laughs we shared were well worth it.
Austin Horne
What advice would you tell your younger self?
Take some time to stop and enjoy the little things in life. Do what you love not what you’re told to love.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on South Carolina Wild are solely those of the authors, and do not reflect official policies, positions, or endorsements of activity or products by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
