Monthly Archives: April 2026

The Power of Showing Up: A Legacy Celebrated at the Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala

By Sonia Vani

Why is it that some of the busiest people, those who already spend their days serving the community, are often the same ones who find the time and energy to give even more?

Across Ottawa, many first responders, dispatchers, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, devote their off-hours to volunteering with youth, often through sport and recreation. It is a powerful extension of their work, one that helps shape confidence, resilience, and belonging in the next generation.

Celebrating that commitment is at the heart of the upcoming Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala. But to appreciate the spirit behind the event, it helps to first understand the man whose name it carries.

Over a policing career that started in 1951 and spanned more than four decades, Chief Thomas G. Flanagan built a reputation as both a decorated officer and a principled leader.

He earned the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1958 and later received the Governor General’s Star of Courage. Known early on as “Fleet-Foot Flanagan” for his speed in chasing down suspects, he rose through the ranks to become Chief of Police in 1989. Yet, the titles he may have valued most were likely far simpler: to his young athletes on the football field, he was simply “Coach.” To the youngest members in his extended family, he was lovingly called “Grandpa.” Specifically, for his grandson Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Avery Flanagan of the Ottawa Police Service, that legacy remains deeply personal. Now the lead organizer of the annual Gala, S/Sgt Flanagan continues to carry forward his grandfather’s example of service.

“Forget He-Man or Superman,” he says. “My superhero growing up was my grandpa.”

He recalls a moment from a family gathering when, as a young boy, he was captivated by the tools on his grandfather’s police belt. Sensing his curiosity, Chief Flanagan gently shifted his attention. The most important tool, he explained to his grandson, wasn’t on the belt at all. It was “right here,” he said, pointing to his mouth. That lesson stayed.

Today, S/Sgt Flanagan describes communication as the cornerstone of effective policing. Like his grandfather, he also gives his time to youth through sport, coaching hockey and helping shape young lives beyond the scope of his daily duties. That spirit of showing up continues across the first responder community.

Many follow a similar path, moving from formal roles in public safety to informal roles in community life, trading their radios for whistles, and their uniforms for team jerseys. In those moments, something meaningful happens. Young people learn not only how to play, but how to collaborate, communicate, persevere, win, lose, and carry themselves with dignity. And the adults who guide them often find something just as valuable in return.

As Dylan Reed, Manager of Events and Special Projects at Their Opportunity, notes, the positive impact of this kind of community service works both ways: “The benefits of volunteering are multiple and mutual,” he says. “What first responders put into working with youth through sport, they get back, and everyone finds in it a real sense of fulfilment.”

Now in its fifth year, the Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala recognizes that simple but powerful exchange. The event also serves as a fundraiser for Their Opportunity, a national charity dedicated to helping children overcome barriers through sport and recreation. To date, the organization has reached more than 90,000 children in over 160 communities across Canada. Last year alone, the Gala raised nearly $50,000 in support of programs that make sport more accessible, particularly at the local level.

Reed further highlights that “Funds raised from this year’s Gala go back directly into our community. Through Their Opportunity’s local sport for development programming and subsidy programs, Ottawa youth will get to participate, play and be empowered through sport and physical activity, reaching their full potential both on and off the field of play.”

Perhaps then, the answer to the original question lies in how the act of giving, especially to young people, has a way of sustaining itself. It builds connection, reinforces purpose, and creates a kind of momentum that carries forward, from one generation to the next. Eventually, the giver and the receiver become indistinguishable from one another, as in a sort of double helix of reciprocity, each reinforcing the other’s sense of self, purpose and belonging.

The Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala will take place at the Infinity Centre on May 30. The evening, which includes a dinner, an awards ceremony, live music and the chance to network with first responders is open to the general public. Visit https://www.theiropportunity.com/gala to purchase tickets or to support the cause.

A police communicator working at the Ottawa Police Service’s Communications Centre where all of the city’s 9-1-1 calls are received.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE

Why National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week Matters

By Sonia Vani, community volunteer

Most of us have filled out forms asking us to name an emergency contact. For something simple like a hospital pick-up after a procedure, the choice may be easy. But in more unexpected situations, the decision might take more thought. Who can you trust to guide you if something goes wrong? Caring about your wellbeing is a good start, but they also need to be reachable, reliable, clear-thinking, connected, and capable of coordinating what should happen next.

Now imagine a room filled with the city’s top emergency contacts. That’s what it feels like to step inside the Ottawa Police Service’s 9-1-1 Communications Centre. The civilian police communicators who work there—call takers and dispatchers—spend every shift acting as the calm, steady voice guiding people through their worst moments.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, observed annually during the second full week of April, exists to recognize professionals like them. On any given day, the Centre handles roughly 1,000 calls through its main 9‑1‑1 line. Communicators are trained to ask the right questions, gather the critical details, and ensure the appropriate responders—police, fire, or paramedics—are deployed as quickly and safely as possible. While some callers are transferred to other emergency services, it is always the police communicators who first assess the situation, prioritize the emergency, and set the response in motion.

Despite how essential this work is, National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week remains largely unknown outside the field. Its name may not immediately resonate, but its purpose is clear: to honour the call takers and dispatchers who are the “first” first responders. They are the invisible yet expert multitaskers who help transform chaos into a coordinated emergency response.

The role is often misunderstood. Many people assume answering a 9‑1‑1 call is as straightforward as listening and relaying information. In truth, it is far more complex. Call takers must filter through noise, fear, and confusion to extract the key facts that will allow them to coordinate a safe, effective response in real time. They are masters of focus and compartmentalization and how they manage a call can directly influence how a response is carried out.

“By using respectful communication, empathy, compassion, and active listening, my words and actions directly affect how first responders are received once on‑scene. I may not control the outcome of an emergency, but I can control my part of the process—and that’s what motivates me every day.”

— Eric Brown, OPS Police Communicator

“I see myself as an ambassador for the Ottawa Police Service,” says Eric Brown, an OPS police communicator approaching his first anniversary in the role. “By using respectful communication, empathy, compassion, and active listening, my words and actions directly affect how first responders are received once on‑scene. I may not control the outcome of an emergency, but I can control my part of the process—and that’s what motivates me every day.”

Eva Burnett, a recently retired police communicator with 37 years of experience, recalls some of the challenges: “Sometimes callers won’t listen to the advice we give, even when we understand the bigger picture. We may not be onsite, but we have experience. Their worst day is our every day.” Behind the scenes, communicators juggle multiple screens, rapid information streams, system updates, note‑taking, de‑escalation, and the emotional weight of each call—and then move on to the next one. The flow of information is constant, and the margin for error is incredibly small.

Burnett notes that closure can be hard to come by. Dispatchers often follow up with responding officers after difficult calls to understand how the situation ended. “Those extra details just might help us process what we heard and move forward.” The physical and mental demands of the job require intentional care. Both Brown and Burnett emphasize how important it is for communicators to have healthy outlets outside of work.

“Find something you love and hang onto it,” Burnett advises. Strong relationships with colleagues and supervisors also play a critical role in helping communicators build sustainable careers in this demanding field. Organizations like the Ottawa First Responders Foundation provide additional support through financial assistance and access to specialized mental‑health resources for active and retired first responders and their families—ensuring no one faces the impacts of trauma, stress, or crisis alone.

Between April 12 and April 18, take a moment to appreciate the “first” first responders whose steady voices and split‑second decisions make a positive difference in so many lives.

Eva Burnett (left) is one of the police communicators in the story. Brenda Tirrell (right) is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ottawa First Responders Foundation. Her organization is responsible for many fundraising initiatives that support the mental wellbeing of first responders like dispatchers, including the annual 9-run-run event that takes place every October. They are shown here training together and wearing their 9-run-run gear. Brenda is a retired volunteer firefighter with 17 years of experience. PHOTO SHARED BY SONIA VANI