When The Emergency Is Your Own
- Presenter(s): Sheila Hanna Kirkland
- Session Length: 60 minutes
- Date: Jul 27, 2025
Sheila never expected her career in public safety communications to take such a personal turn. When her husband was murdered, her own dispatch center responded to the tragedy, forcing her to confront how prepared she and her team were for crises that hit close to home.
In this presentation, Sheila will share her story and its impact on her role as the 911 Coordinator, along with practical strategies for improving emergency preparedness in dispatch centers.
In this presentation, Sheila will share her story and its impact on her role as the 911 Coordinator, along with practical strategies for improving emergency preparedness in dispatch centers.
Learning Objectives:
- Upon completing this conference session, the attendee will be able to recognize the emotional and psychological effects of experiencing a personal emergency on their own well-being and ability to perform their duties.
- Upon completing this conference session, the attendee will be able to identify strategies for processing and managing their emotions and reactions during and after a personal emergency, ensuring they can maintain a professional demeanor while working in the emergency communications center.
- Upon completing this conference session, the attendee will be able to explain the role of training preparation in ensuring effective emergency response and minimizing risk.
description
Sheila never expected her career in public safety communications to take such a personal turn. When her husband was murdered, her own dispatch center responded to the tragedy, forcing her to confront how prepared she and her team were for crises that hit close to home.In this presentation, Sheila will share her story and its impact on her role as the 911 Coordinator, along with practical strategies for improving emergency preparedness in dispatch centers.
Learning Objectives:
- Upon completing this conference session, the attendee will be able to recognize the emotional and psychological effects of experiencing a personal emergency on their own well-being and ability to perform their duties.
- Upon completing this conference session, the attendee will be able to identify strategies for processing and managing their emotions and reactions during and after a personal emergency, ensuring they can maintain a professional demeanor while working in the emergency communications center.
- Upon completing this conference session, the attendee will be able to explain the role of training preparation in ensuring effective emergency response and minimizing risk.
