Created by Samantha Hawkins
The Learning Center is pleased to give Samantha a platform to share her experiences.
Samantha Hawkins, a certified PSAP Professional and Quality Assurance Evaluator, has been a key figure in public safety communications since 2015. She is highly experienced in training others, reflecting her commitment to sharing her expertise.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article and series are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities she represents.
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It Takes Two: A QA/QI Love StoryQuality Assurance (QA) in the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is like a mirror, reflecting back our strengths and weaknesses, our wins and our missteps. It’s a critical process, no doubt—but let me be blunt: if your [...]
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[Webinar] Lead the Way: Be the Leader You Needed!Free Webinar for ECC Leaders Samantha Hawkins & Dru Clarke Download to listen on-demand for free now! As the supreme of the supreme, FIRST 1st Responders, being a 9-1-1 supervisor is about far more than [...]
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Letter to a New 9-1-1 SupervisorDear New 9-1-1 Supervisor, How are you doing? How are you feeling? Did you manage to grab breakfast this morning? And no, if it’s any shade of brown, black, or beige and can be held in [...]
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How to Lose a 9-1-1 Trainee in 6 WaysRemember the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson? I was thinking about it the other day, and it sparked a late-night revelation—a classic 2 a.m. thought. What [...]
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You Make It, You Own It!I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve emphasized to trainees the importance of using every tool and resource available when taking calls for service. Verify everything. Have the caller repeat information instead of just parroting [...]
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The Truth About Why We StayNine years ago I sat in orientation with six other individuals in my class signing paperwork and learning about this new, rewarding profession that I had gotten myself into. The world of emergency telecommunications lay before me, [...]
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The Truth About Why We LeaveA while ago, I made a rather major decision in my life. I resigned as a trainer and communications officer from the PSAP I had called home for nearly eight years to transition into the role [...]
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The Other Next Gen 911: What Newer Generations Bring to the 911 IndustryAs I write this article, I happen to be watching the 2022 movie about Whitney Houston and her rise to stardom. Whitney is still hailed as the “greatest voice of her generation” to this day because [...]
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Titles Don’t Make the DispatcherOh yes, you most certainly did read that title right! Titles do not make the dispatcher, and I have breaking BONUS news for you... It doesn't make the leader either. [...]
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The Way Back From Secondary TraumaWe as dispatchers must face head-on the issue of secondary traumatic stress and recognize that in our line of work, it is normal to be affected by the stories we hear on a daily basis. How then [...]
