Date: Wednesday, October 7
Time: 2 p.m. ET | 1 p.m. CT | 11 a.m. PT
Register now using the “Register for this Police1 Webinar” box on this page!
* Can’t make the date? Register anyway and we’ll send you a recording after the event.
Public safety professionals are trained to respond when others are experiencing their worst moments — but the cumulative stress of serving others can take a serious toll on their own physical health, mental well-being and job performance. Chronic stress, sleep disruption, compassion fatigue and burnout are not simply personal concerns; they can affect decision-making, recruitment, retention and the long-term resilience of an entire organization.
Join stress-management researcher Dr. Michael Olpin, Arlington Emergency Communications Center leader Neeka White, CMCP, public safety grant expert Samantha Dorm and moderator Robert Nelson for a practical discussion about building a culture in which recovery is recognized as an essential part of readiness. The panel will connect the science of stress and recovery with the real-world experience of a 911 communications center that intentionally invested in employee wellness.
We will also explore practical wellness solutions, measurable outcomes and potential funding pathways that can help agencies move from concern to action. Whether your organization is beginning its wellness journey or strengthening an existing program, this webinar will provide actionable guidance for creating sustainable initiatives that support the people who serve and protect their communities.
You will learn:
- How chronic stress, sleep disruption and inadequate recovery affect the health, decision-making and performance of public safety personnel.
- Ways that leaders can identify signs of burnout, compassion fatigue and cumulative stress within their organizations.
- Why visible leadership support is critical to creating a culture in which personnel feel encouraged to use wellness and recovery resources.
- Lessons learned from implementing dedicated wellness resources within a working emergency communications center.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Human resources professionals
- Recruitment and retention managers
- Human resources and risk-management professionals
- Peer support and behavioral health team members
- Wellness and resilience coordinators
- Crisis intervention team members
- Police psychologists
* Please note the Q and A portion of the webinar will only be available for live event attendees.
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Dr. Michael Olpin is a Professor of Health Promotion at Weber State University, where he has taught stress management, meditation, mindfulness, mind / body wellness and wellness coaching for 30 years. He is also a stress management and wellness consultant, author, speaker and longtime advocate for practical approaches to resilience and recovery. Dr. Olpin founded and directed Weber State’s Stress Relief Center, where thousands of students learned evidence-based strategies for reducing stress, improving focus, managing tension and strengthening overall well-being. His work centers on helping people understand how chronic stress, fatigue, sleep disruption, burnout and constant pressure affect health, decision-making, performance and relationships.
Neeka White is a public safety communications supervisor with nearly two decades of experience serving emergency communications professionals. After beginning her public safety career in corrections with Tarrant County, she transitioned to 911 communications, where she has served for 19 years and has held a supervisory leadership role since 2015. As the department’s hiring supervisor, Neeka oversees the recruitment and selection of new emergency communications personnel, providing her with firsthand knowledge of the unique challenges surrounding employee recruitment, retention, training and resilience in today’s emergency communications environment. Throughout her career, Neeka has been committed to supporting the well-being of those who serve others.
Samantha Dorm is a GrantFinder Team Member for Police1, FireRescue1 and EMS1. She first began working as a consultant for the grants division of Praetorian Digital (now Lexipol) in 2010. Dorm has been instrumental in providing grant writing guidance to various public safety and non-profit agencies throughout the United States to enable them to obtain alternative funding as well as provide instruction on statistical compilation, analysis and program development. Dorm is a reviewer for several federal agencies and also instructs grant writing workshops.
Robert Nelson (moderator) is a wellness advocate, professional speaker and representative for Luraco Technologies, an American manufacturer of medical massage chairs. After building a successful career in sales and business development, Robert dedicated his efforts to helping organizations improve employee wellness, resilience and recovery. Recognizing the significant stress experienced by first responders, Robert developed the Care Chair Program, a wellness initiative focused on bringing evidence-based recovery solutions to law enforcement agencies, fire departments, EMS organizations, correctional facilities and 911 communication centers across the United States. Through this work, Robert has helped agencies implement wellness rooms, secure funding for wellness initiatives and provide recovery resources that support the physical and mental well-being of those who serve their communities. He is also the author of the FREE Wellness Funding Guide, a resource designed to help public safety organizations identify and access funding for wellness programs and equipment. Robert is passionate about helping first responders perform at their best by providing practical wellness solutions that reduce stress, improve recovery and support long-term resilience.