Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Samantha Hawkins, CMCP, ThisGen 911
Training a new telecommunicator is about far more than teaching policies, procedures, and protocols. It is about shaping confidence, building trust and creating an environment where new professionals can grow into the role. During How to Lose a 9-1-1 Trainee in 10 Ways, Samantha Hawkins, CMCP, of ThisGen 911 delivered an engaging, humorous and thought-provoking session that challenged attendees to take an honest look at the training cultures within their own emergency communications centers.
From the moment the session began, Hawkins had the audience actively participating. Rather than launching into a lecture, she opened with a powerful question that immediately set the tone: “Are you who you are today because of your training or despite your training?” The room fell quiet as attendees reflected on their own experiences. It was an exercise that made the rest of the presentation deeply personal and relevant.
Drawing inspiration from the film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Hawkins walked attendees through ten common mistakes organizations make when training new telecommunicators. With humor and relatable examples, she illustrated how practices such as overwhelming trainees with unnecessary information, failing to help them feel like they belong, micromanaging every decision, and creating environments where mistakes are punished instead of used as learning opportunities slowly erode confidence and enthusiasm. Each example was presented with recognizable scenarios from the communications center, making it easy for attendees to identify similar behaviors in their own organizations.
Rather than simply pointing out problems, Hawkins paired every challenge with practical strategies for improvement. She consistently reinforced that every negative habit could be replaced with intentional actions that foster psychological safety, engagement, and long-term success. Each section’s suggested corrections concluded with the memorable refrain, “Or don’t…and we’ll continue to lose trainees.” The repeated line was humorous on the surface, but it carried a sobering reminder that retention is often influenced by the daily choices trainers and leaders make.
One of the session’s most impactful moments came during the discussion on constructive feedback. Hawkins challenged attendees with the question, “If I went to the newest person in your center and said, ‘How do they make you feel?’ what would they say?” The question shifted the conversation beyond technical competence and toward emotional intelligence, reminding everyone in the room that the words trainers choose, and the way they deliver them, can either encourage growth or discourage it.
Hawkins’ presentation style was energetic, conversational and highly interactive, keeping attendees engaged from beginning to end. Her ability to blend humor with meaningful self-reflection created an atmosphere where difficult truths could be discussed without defensiveness. Participants left not only entertained but also equipped with practical ideas for creating stronger trainers, healthier learning environments and, ultimately, retaining more successful telecommunicators. It was a session that challenged attendees to look inward, rethink habits and remember that building the people is every bit as important as teaching the job.
Written by Sharon Miller
