Murfreesboro, Tenn. - Murfreesboro Emergency Communications Center Communications Supervisor Tiffany Matthews and Communications Training Officer Brady Lutton have been named co-Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year for their hard work and selfless actions.

Matthews regularly volunteers to take on additional tasks just so others don't get burned out. She stays over regular working hours and comes in on her days off to assist with short shifts.

"Tiffany is one of the hardest working and most humble on our team," said co-workers who nominated her. "Tiffany goes above and beyond for employees and is the epitome of selflessness. She puts others before herself and does everything in her power to make the Murfreesboro Emergency Communications Center better."

Matthews even changed her days off so an employee on her shift would be able to attend a college class and graduate.

"She shows such kindness towards team members and listens to those on her shift when they need someone to talk to," said Emergency Communications Director Seth Russell. "Tiffany does this all with an upbeat attitude and is quick to assist as a supervisor when information is needed. Even when she has a trainee, Tiffany's supervisor roll never gets put on the back burner."

Lutton's demeanor is always calm over the radio no matter how serious the incident.

"Brady Lutton performs his duties as a Public Safety Telecommunicator at an exemplary level and demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to the well-being and safety of the citizens of Murfreesboro," said co-workers who nominated him. "Brady's attentiveness to each and every incident that he is involved in is exceptional. Brady provides field responders with pertinent information regarding each incident, whether it is spotting the nearest hydrant on the map prior to the MFRD arriving on the scene of a fire or locating the exact location of a crash by utilizing the interstate cameras and passing that information on to the responding units."

An example of Lutton going above and beyond occurred on December 26, 2019. He recognized, through social media, that a Mississippi man was having suicidal thoughts. Lutton convinced the man that life was worth living and assisted in getting him the help he needed.

Lutton is a two-year employee with the Emergency Communications Center. He received the Jerry Anderson Hero Award from the Murfreesboro Chapter of the NAACP earlier this year. He was also nominated for the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International Telecommunicator of the Year award.

Matthews began her career in 2011 and became a Communications Training Officer in August 2014. In August 2018, Matthews was promoted to supervisor and is currently one of the evening shift supervisors, the busiest shift within the communications center.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week was observed April 12 -18.