I spent over fourteen years inside 911 — in the chair, on the radio, living this culture firsthand in the '80s and '90s. Since then, I've served nine years as a chaplain at a children's home, and today I train 911 peer chaplains across the country. These ten principles didn't come from a textbook — they come from that lifetime of experience, and I vetted every one of them with trusted 911 leaders who confirmed what I already knew: they hold up. This guide is where that experience meets a new chapter for me — bringing what I've learned directly to agency leadership. My hope is that it becomes a starting point for a real conversation with your team about what's working, what's missing, and what a healthier culture could look like for the people who answer the call.