Wright-Patterson Spotlight: Cory Downey

  • Published
  • By 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Name and rank: Cory Downey, GS-8

Duty title: Fire and Emergency Services communications supervisor

Unit of assignment: 788th Civil Engineer Squadron

What do you do at Wright-Patt? I am the base Fire and Emergency Services communications supervisor. I oversee a team of six dispatchers. I am responsible for ensuring all emergency calls via 911 and/or emergency calls to the fire department are answered and properly processed, as well as dispatching fire crews to fire alarms in facilities across the base. I am also the automated data processing equipment manager. I assure all copiers, printers and computers are ordered, installed and functioning properly for the fire department. In addition, I am the land mobile radio manager, overseeing $1 million in equipment. Portable radios are the lifeline for firefighters when on an emergency scene.

Why are you and your job important to the Air Force, AFMC and WPAFB?

I have established a team of well-trained dispatchers to answer emergency calls and maintain the public-safety answering point. All dispatchers are Emergency Medical Dispatch-qualified and can give callers lifesaving instructions over the phone, as well as instruct people to save their own lives by avoiding or eliminating hazardous situations. A dispatcher’s emergency actions ensure lives are saved when in trouble due to injuries, illness, natural disasters, vehicle accidents, aircraft incidents, fires, water rescue and other situations, making sure our mission success will carry on.