For more than 30 years, Denise Horn has been the calm at the centre of the storm.
A communicator with the Orillia Fire Department, Horn has answered thousands of emergency calls over the course of her career, handling each one with the focus of a professional athlete, blocking out all the extraneous noise so she can deal with the task at hand.
It’s a talent that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Thursday morning at the Simcoe County Administration Centre in Midhurst, Horn received the Communicator of the Year for Public Safety Communications award at the 15th annual Simcoe County Tri-service Public Safety Awards. The event honours the call-takers, dispatchers, supervisors and support staff that play vital roles behind the scenes whenever an emergency occurs.
Horn said she was both shocked and humbled at the recognition.
“I was really shocked, just taken aback,” she said after receiving her award. “I’m very appreciative at this point in my career just to be receiving this prestigious award, one that I feel every communicator is deserving of.”
Horn, who started her career with the Orillia Police Services in 1994 and then moved on to the Ontario Provincial Police before starting with the Orillia Fire Department in 1996, was recognized for her work during the 2025 ice storm that left thousands of Orillia and area residents without heat or hydro for several days.
“Denise consistently shows prime decision-making abilities with complex situations and required next steps, often thinking ahead and asking the right questions,” the award organizers wrote in recognition of Horn’s efforts. “Working during the 2025 ice storm, she was constantly tested with having to make split second decisions and performed flawlessly.”
The words of praise are no surprise to Chris Ferry, Orillia's fire chief.
“Denise is a very calm person who has exceptional multi-tasking skills,” Ferry told OrilliaMatters during an interview earlier this week. “She’s incredibly calm and cool under pressure. She has the ability to slow the situation down, calm people down and get the right information.”
An integral part of the larger fire service, communicators play a vital role not only because they’re the first point of contact for anyone who calls 911, but also because they’re involved in much more than just dispatching, said Ferry.
“Oftentimes, our communicators are answering multiple calls and dispatching calls all at the same time,” Ferry said. “They're also interacting over the radio with the other fire crews and helping to overcome the emergency situation.”
Those communicators are often a lifeline to the person on the other end of the line.
“Our 911 call takers and dispatchers are the unsung heroes who can quickly become the first voice of hope during someone’s darkest moment,” Simcoe County’s Deputy Warden Jennifer Coughlin told an audience of about 100 Thursday morning. “Every day they face the unimaginable, their calm voice becomes the lifeline that connects those in need with the help they urgently require.
“Whether guiding CPR, de-escalating fear or coordinating urgent resources, their words have the power to bring safety and reassurance back into the lives of callers,” she added.
The awards also recognized former Orillia city staffer Melissa Soule, now with the Midland Fire Services. She received the Support Staff for Public Safety Communications award. The Barrie Fire communicators — Tracey Hyder, Ashlee Hebner, Benoit Osborne, Kirsten Heard, and Amanda Balch — received the Simcoe County Public Safety Communications Team award.
Soule — who worked in both the transit and human resource departments with the City of Orillia before moving to her new role in Midland in 2024 — was selected because she demonstrates sustained excellence over time, not just during isolated events.
“She maintains professionalism under pressure, particularly during high-stress or time-sensitive situations and is trusted by both leadership and staff to manage confidential and critical information appropriately,” the awards organizers wrote. “Her exceptional attention to detail, accountability, and dedication reflect the core values and professionalism expected of emergency services support staff.”
The Barrie fire communicators were recognized for their actions during the Jan. 25, 2025 blizzard that left more than 200 motorists stranded in Springwater Township.
During the height of the incident, the Communications Centre experienced a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system outage, which forced them to transition to a fully manual, paper-based operation. Despite these constraints, call-takers, dispatchers, and supervisors worked seamlessly together to manage a fast-moving, high-risk situation
“This response highlighted the team’s ability to collaborate, innovate, and maintain service continuity during system failures – ensuring public safety when conditions were at their worst,” the awards organizers said. “This incident exemplifies outstanding teamwork, creativity, and dedication in the face of operational adversity.”