Answering the Call: Elevating Wellness and Training for 911 Dispatchers

I provide science-based wellness training with a holistic approach, challenging first responder stigmas while prioritizing well-being. Using student-centered learning and adult learning theory, I hope to foster personal growth in order to positively impact agency culture, morale, and retention.

My name is Shannon Polito, and I proudly served as a 911 dispatcher in California for 18 years. While I genuinely loved the work itself, my passion extends beyond helping those who call 911 or communicate over the radio. My greatest passion is supporting the people wearing the headset. That passion led me to found Help For the Headset, where I develop education and resources focused on the health, resilience, and well-being of emergency dispatchers. I firmly believe that with the right knowledge, tools, and support, dispatchers can become not only the best professionals they can be, but the healthiest versions of themselves as well.

I am a first responder wellness educator and peer support coach with extensive experience supporting 911 professionals and public safety agencies. In addition to serving as a certified First Responder Coach and working with Thin Line Consulting as a peer support coach, I am honored to collaborate with The Healthy Dispatcher, where I lead wellness, resilience and Peer Support education initiatives. Together, we are expanding access to evidence-informed training that helps agencies build healthier individuals, stronger teams, and more sustainable cultures.

I hold multiple professional certifications, including Advanced POST Instructor, Emergency Number Professional (ENP), Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL), Peer Supporter,  Communications Training Officer (CTO), and as a First Responder Coach.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of presenting at regional and national conferences, including—but not limited to—NENA, APCO, Navigator, CalNENA, Northern California APCO, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Kansas and New Jersey APCO/NENA, Heroes in the Heartland, Atlantic APCO, the Alabama 911 Board, and the California CLETS Users Group (CCUG).

My work is grounded in lived experience, research-informed practice, and a deep commitment to creating meaningful, practical, and immediately applicable support for first responders. Whether through Help For the Headset, my collaboration with The Healthy Dispatcher, or my work with agencies across the country, my mission remains the same: to equip first responders with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to thrive—both professionally and personally—and to help create healthier, more resilient public safety cultures.

Link to my articles: 
Why Hearing But Not Seeing is So Detrimental for 911 Dispatchers
Dispatchers on the Frontline: Natural Disasters and Moral Injury
Why Dispatchers Deserve 911 Status
The Hypervigilance Cycle
It Was Never About the Program: Wellness Through Connection
Peer Support That Works: It Starts With Trust, Not Title

For more information, including possible training dates and rates, please email me directly at: 
[email protected]