The Leon County Consolidated Dispatch Agency has received national recognition from APCO International (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials) in light of their response to last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University.
The CDA was named the 2026 APCO International Team of the Year and CDA director David Odom was named the 2026 APCO International Emergency Communications Center Director of the Year.
APCO International is the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to public safety communications.
Each year, APCO International presents its ECC (Emergency Communications Center) Awards to individuals and agencies that demonstrate exceptional professionalism, leadership, innovation, and service to their communities.
“The CDA Team of the Year recognition highlights the Agency’s response during the April 17, 2025, Florida State University mass shooting incident. During the rapidly evolving crisis, CDA telecommunicators coordinated law enforcement, fire, and EMS communications while managing an extraordinary volume of 9-1-1 calls and text messages from students, parents and the public,” said the press release.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and professionalism of every member of our team,” said Odom in a prepared statement. “Emergency Communications Professionals are often the unseen first responders and this award honors the extraordinary work our team performs every day in service to our community.”
The awards will be formally presented during the APCO International Annual Conference later this year, where communications professionals from across the nation gather to recognize excellence and advancements in public safety communications.
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: CDA gets national recognition for FSU shooting response
Reporting by Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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