Season 3 Episode 2: Teresa Burgamy

What if you could hand a high schooler a headset, put them in a simulated 911 center, and watch the moment they realize this job is nothing like they imagined? In this episode, host Lori Henricksen sits down with Teresa Burgamy—IT manager at Fresno County Sheriff's, lead dispatch instructor at Fresno City College Police Academy, and the woman behind one of the most innovative 911 outreach programs in the country—to talk about what it actually looks like to recruit the next generation before they even graduate.Teresa's path into emergency communications started at twelve years old through an explorer program in a small California town, and she's spent the decades since finding every possible way to bring others into the profession she loves. Her latest project might be her most creative yet: partnering with Fresno County's Regional Occupational Program to bring a fully retrofitted mobile dispatch trailer—complete with ten computers, ambient lighting, and AI-powered simulation calls—directly to high school students who didn't even know 911 dispatching was a career option.The results are exactly what you'd hope for. Students walk in nervous, hands shaking, not sure what to expect. A few calls in, they're competing with each other for the highest score, calling out the questions their classmates missed, and having the kind of "aha moments" that stick for life—like the student who realized too late that asking "do you have a weapon?" and "is there a weapon?" are not the same question.Lori and Teresa dig into why simulation-based learning works when lectures don't, how AI removes the bias and coaching that human role-players unintentionally provide, and why reaching students at this age doesn't just fill a pipeline—it educates their families, their teachers, and their entire communities about what dispatchers actually do. They also get practical about how any agency, regardless of size or budget, can start building these relationships with local schools—from guest speaking at a career day to partnering with existing ROTC or vocational programs.If your center is struggling with recruitment and you're looking for a strategy that builds genuine passion for the profession before candidates ever walk through your door, this episode is the conversation you need to hear.Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comms-coach-podcast/