By Terra Avilla
Angela Lewis is the kind of person who makes Lassen County a better place to live, one emergency call at a time.
As a dispatcher with over 20 something years of experience in public service, Angela has become an indispensable part of our community’s safety net.
If you think juggling your work emails and your day to day meetings is tough, try spending a day in Angela’s headset. Whether it’s a child calling 911 to “see if it works”, a five-alarm fire, those pesky officers running traffic all day long, or a heart stopping plea of a caller asking for help, this is a job where you get used to putting out lots of small fires in a hurry.
She doesn’t just dispatch help; she provides comfort and reassurance to callers in their most vulnerable moments.
She can guide a lost hiker to safety or direct an ambulance to the quickest route with the precision of a seasoned cartographer. If there was a “Name That Obscure Backroad” game show, Angela would be the undefeated champion.
While first responders often get the spotlight, it’s dispatchers like Angela who are the invisible heroes working behind the scenes. Her quick thinking and calm demeanor have undoubtedly saved lives and made a difference in countless emergency situations, I know because as an officer who has been dispatched by her, as well as someone who has needed “911” off duty and spoken to her, Angela is amazing.
Angela’s also a woman of many passions, with horseback riding being one of her favorite pastimes. When she’s not busy coordinating emergency responses, Angela can often be found enjoying the great outdoors, riding her horse, as well as talking about, buying or raising some other four-legged creature. (Like seriously the woman loves animals!)
I could not talk about my friend and not mention her love for her family. Despite her busy schedule, Angela always makes time for her children and family. She has a way of making people feel heard and valued, whether they’re a frantic caller or a friend in need of advice.
She is the very epitome of a proud mama! Angela is one of the many reasons why I love living in Lassen County.
