Local News

Allegheny County Council honors off-duty dispatchers who stopped to help crash victims

By Mike Darnay

October 22, 2025 / 1:17 AM EDT / CBS Pittsburgh

Dispatchers honored at Allegheny County Council meeting

Dispatchers who recently jumped into action to help rescue crash victims on the Parkway West were honored by Allegheny County Council members on Tuesday evening.

Last weekend, a wrong-way crash happened along the Parkway West and several dispatchers who had just finished their overnight shift rushed to provide aid.

Brian Craig stumbled on the aftermath of the major crash and immediately pulled over, along with a driver from another passing car.

After a tow truck driver helped Craig and the other driver get a man out of his car, around nine other dispatchers who were on their way home also stopped to help.

County council members honored the dispatchers at their meeting Tuesday, saying that their actions prevented a greater tragedy.

Several 911 dispatchers from Allegheny County were honored Tuesday evening in front of county council for their actions earlier this month that helped rescue people from a fiery crash along the Parkway West. Allegheny County

Under state law, telecommunications officers are not considered first responders.

Allegheny County Manager John Fournier says the incident shows they should be.

Allegheny County

Mike Darnay

Mike Darnay is a digital producer and photojournalist at CBS Pittsburgh. Mike has also written and produced content for Vox Media and the Mon Valley Independent. He often covers overnight breaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers and high school sports.