DPS Safety Scoop

Join host Kirsten Barber for a revamped episode from the Safety Scoop archive. This month we are revisiting the Helping Enhance Autism Response Training episode after NCDPS hosted one of it's largest HEART events at the end of April 2026. Before the replay, you'll hear from NCDPS Secretary Jeffrey Smythe, speaker Dennis Debbaut and event attendees on why this type of training is not only important, but a vital part of first response training for those serving their communities.

Anything can be poisonous when used in the wrong way, in the wrong amount or by the wrong person. The challenge is that everyday items like lotions, bug spray, over-the-counter medicines and more can pose a threat, not just householdcleaners. In this episode, NCEM Hazardous Materials Coordinator Stefan Coutoulakis shares information on how to keep your home safe, how to properly dispose of chemicals and how teams across the state are keeping communities safe from hazardous materials.

Known as "the eyes and ears for emergency response teams," the 24-Hour Watch is an information and communication sharing hub for incident information and intelligence data from federal, state and local partners. In this episode, Amanda Winans shares what it's like working for the 24-Hour Watch day to day and what it takes to be a watch analyst.

To kick off the new year on the Safety Scoop, host Kirsten Barber has a discussion with Responder Assistance Initiative psychologist Nicolas Sirianni around mental health in the first responder field. While you listen, you’ll learn simple exercises for meditation and regulation as well as encouraging words on how to not only check in on others, but yourself (whether or not you are a first responder).

Mindfulness Practices:

- Body Scan Meditation (11:36)

- 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique (25:56)

- Distraction Grounding (28:35)

- Box Breathing (31:11)

- Belly Breathing (31:54)

- Bilateral Stimulation (33:17)

If you are a first responder or NC Department of Public Safety employee that needs to connect with the Responder Assistance Initiative, call their resource/request line at 866-731-6901 and leave a detailed message. Someone will return your call. This is not a crisis line.

We are living in a time where false information can be disseminated easily and effectively. So how can we protect ourselves and others from falling prey to disinformation campaigns, especially during times of emergency? This episode's guest Brian Haines, Senior External Affairs Specialist for NC Emergency Management, speaks with host Kirsten Barber about disinformation and misinformation and how bad actors use emergencies to spread untruths that can cause harm and division. While there is no way to avoid disinformation in the digital age, you can learn how to recognize it and stop the spread. Listen to learn more about how to keep yourself and others safe and informed.

It's 2025, and the NC Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission is celebrating 90 years of spirited service. As the regulatory body over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, consumption and possession of all alcoholic beverages across the state, the commission is committed to enhancing public safety and protecting public health across the state. This episode features ABC Commission Deputy Commissioner Mike DeSilva. Listen as he takes you behind the scenes of the commission and shares what has changed and what has stayed the same since it’s founding in 1935.

The Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy, which opened its doors in 1994, provides structure, discipline and a path for at-risk 16- to 18-year-olds. In this safety scoop episode, we hear from father/daughter duo Rob Davis and Morgan Raines, who both have shared experiences with the North Carolina National Guard and the Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy.

The North Carolina National Guard is an all-volunteer force of around 10,000 soldiers and airmen who serve in both federal and state capacities. In this episode, Col. Mark Almond describes how North Carolina National Guard citizen soldiers and airmen support and defend the citizens of the state and nation against crisis, natural disasters and other threats. He also shares details about his experience over the last 29 years with the NC National Guard. Learn more about the NC National Guard at ng.nc.gov, or follow them on social at @NCNationalGuard.

In part two of the Office of Victim Compensation Services series, listeners will learn more about how the Rape Victims Assistance Program support victims of crime throughout their recovery.

NOTE: As of July 2025, the window to report a crime is now six months (NC Senate Bill 429).

Contact VCS:

800-826-6200 (calling from NC)
919-733-7974 (calling outside of NC)

Office of Victim Compensation Services
4232 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4232

The Victim Compensation Program is the subject of the latest Safety Scoop episode. Hear from Office of Victim Compensation Services Investigator Felisa Frances as she guides listeners through the eligibility and application process for the program.

NOTE: As of July 2025, the window to report a crime is now six months (NC Senate Bill 429).

Around 1,600 state troopers monitor more than 80,000 miles of roadway across North Carolina. These troopers perform hundreds of thousands of traffic stops every year and respond to countless additional requests for service. In this episode, two members of the NC State Highway Patrol answer multiple "What do I do if ..." questions about vehicles and NC roadways. From fender benders and flat tires to seeing those blue lights flash behind you, First Sergeant Chris Knox and Sergeant Marcus Bethea detail steps you can take to respond properly and most importantly, stay safe.

Happy 2025! The NC Department of Public Safety is excited to bring you another season of The Safety Scoop. Subscribe and follow along with new episodes every month.

Greg Hauser, NC Emergency Management Communications Branch Manager, joins this episode of the Safety Scoop to tell his team's Helene response story. He shares enlightening details on the "magic" that goes on behind the scenes that keeps connectivity operational across the state for all individuals and the critical task of keeping tower lights blinking.

Across the nation there are teams of volunteers that are specially trained to assist during emergencies. Whether it's checking vitals of responders or survivors, answering phones, directing traffic or assisting with training, Community Emergency Response Team members are equipped with the knowledge and skills to help when needed. In this episode, we hear from the Division of Emergency Management’s CERT Program Manager Samantha Royster to learn about these teams active across North Carolina and the role they played during Hurricane Helene response.

For this episode of the Safety Scoop, we travel to Cabarrus Juvenile Detention Center to hear from three youth in secure custody who were part of new programming that was rolled out over the summer. These three individuals (identified in the episode as C, K and T) were enrolled with nine of their peers in an eight week digital media class. You'll also hear from facility staff who provide context to the new partnership between the Beattie’s Ford Road Vocational Trade Center and Cabarrus JDC and why they felt it was important to expand course offerings for the juveniles in their care.

It's time for a cyber heath checkup! In this episode of the Safety Scoop, two members of NCEM's Homeland Security Section share the types of threats that exist across the digital landscape in 2024, and how you can not only protect yourself from bad actors but recognize potential schemes and scams. Michael Greer and Christopher Chappell have decades of experience in cybersecurity and provide listeners with actionable steps on how to stay safe.

Started in 2004 by a small group of innovative North Carolinians, the Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, or NC HART, celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year. Now comprised of more than 30 technicians from across 12 different agencies, the NC HART team provides lifesaving missions across our state and beyond. In this episode of the Safety Scoop, you’ll hear from several longstanding members of the team, to include, Chris Bailey (NCEM Emergency Service Coordinator), Brevard Fire Chief Bobby Cooper and CW5 Michael Young (NC National Guard).

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and North Carolina public safety professionals and first responders have a resource at their fingertips to assist with mental health services. The Responder Assistance Initiative, or RAI, meets the needs of North Carolinians by providing a sustainable continuum of wellness resources that connects North Carolina first responders to an integrated safety net of peer teams and trusted professionals. In this episode I am joined by two mental health professionals: Jodi Salamino and Doctor Lindsay Allotey. Together, they outline the myriad of confidential and free services available for those who need it and have taken the first step in asking for help.

The Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety is committed to the reduction and prevention of juvenile delinquency by effectively intervening, educating and treating youth. This Safety Scoop episode we’ll hone in on the community programs section of the division, which provides a comprehensive strategy to help prevent and reduce juvenile crime and delinquency through non-residential and residential contracted programs. This is part one of a two-part series on JJDP community programs.

Two staff members of the Governor's Crime Commission (GCC) join us in our final Safety Scoop episode of 2023 to discuss how changes to the Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) funding may impact organizations that help victims of crime recover and rebuild their lives. As they answer questions, guests Caroline Farmer and Sandy Dixon look to the future and share how GCC plans to move forward with federal funds provided.

November is Critical Infrastructure Security and Resiliency Month, but what does that really mean for you and me? In this Safety Scoop episode, Critical Infrastructure Specialist Rachel McGrath gives us a peek behind the curtain of how her section within the Division of Emergency Management responds to all hazards, as well as the work and collaboration that goes into protecting the nation's 16 critical infrastructure sectors.

The Private Protective Services Board is celebrating 50 years of providing licensing, education and training for private protective services throughout the state. In this episode of Safety Scoop, Paul Sherwin, Director of PPSB, shares his thoughts on how the board has evolved and what he envisions the coming years will be like. Listen to our conversation as he shares details that may be unknown to people outside the private security industry on how the board provides oversight and regulatory functions within this space.

Calling all job seekers, graduates, those interested in joining the public sector and everyone in between. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety is hiring and offers a stable environment for job seekers. With dozens of career paths spanning from working with justice-involved youth, emergency management, law enforcement, telecommunications, administration, project management and more, there is an opportunity for anyone to pursue what they are passionate about. In this episode, Employment Specialist Faith Riggsbee provides us with her insider tips on how candidates can stand out from the application period through the interview process.

If you're applying for a job with NCDPS, don't miss out on Faith's "cheat sheet" for applicants.

Before anyone in the state of North Carolina can claim the title of trooper, they must first undergo the rigorous basic patrol school. Weeks of physical and mental challenges, learning new skills, overcoming obstacles and the heightened sense of teamwork all leads to the end goal -- taking the oath, pinning on the badge and driving away in the recognizable black and silver cruiser. In this episode of Safety Scoop, we go behind the scenes to learn the process of selecting, training and supporting aspiring members of the NC State Highway Patrol. Guests include basic patrol school staff, recruitment and two cadets in the 158th basic school class. Listen now to hear what cadets experience from the first phase of the application up to the point they walk across the stage at graduation.

The Helping Enhance Autism Response Training or “HEART” program was established in 2020 and has since reached communities across the state. Learn more about how this program got started, why it is important for law enforcement/first responders and how it is shaping the department's outreach initiatives moving forward. This episode's guests include Casandra Skinner-Hoekstra, Chief Deputy Secretary of Administration, and autism advocate, speak and author Dennis Debbaudt. Both guests have children on the spectrum and share their individual experiences as caregivers and members of the HEART team.

To create a true culture of prevention, protection and preparedness, DPS prioritizes school safety as a core initiative. On top of other ongoing initiatives throughout the department, Samarcand Training Academy, which is located in Jackson Springs, recently welcomed the Center for Safer Schools into a newly renovated academic building that will serve as a temporary facility for on-site crisis prevention training. Hear from Samarcand Director Matthew Rebuck as he outlines this partnership and the facility expansion that will broaden the scope of training offered in North Carolina.

Content warning: This episode’s topic includes conversations about active assailant situations, including individuals with firearms on school campuses, as well as details about tactical training that prepares members of law enforcement for these situations.

The North Carolina Center for Missing Persons was created in 1985. Since then, the center has worked with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to locate missing individuals and reunite them with their loved ones. In this episode we sit down with the Center's director, Nona Everett, to discuss her decades long career in this role. Nona shares resources and expert tips on what to do if a loved one isn't where they should be.

Content Warning: This episode’s topic includes conversations where abduction, violence, human trafficking and death is mentioned or alluded to. 

This episode's guest, Persia Payne-Hurley, is the Private Sector Manager & Business Emergency Operation Center Coordinator. Since starting with NC Emergency Management in 2014, Persia has been tasked with not only building the state's first Business Emergency Operation Center, but also coordinating with the thousands of private sector partners. Her work with the BEOC is nationally recognized, and Persia's passion for her job can't be hidden. In this interview you'll get Persia's take on what went on behind the scenes of setting up the BEOC, what it takes to organize commodities in the middle of a disaster and how private sector companies can assist with NCEM's mission across the state.

William Ray was appointed Director of North Carolina Emergency Management in August of 2021. With a little more than a year under his belt as director, we checked in with him to get his take on the last year of responding to and preparing for the various hazards North Carolina faces. In this podcast you'll get the inside scoop on how emergency management staff manage their day-to-day tasks (whether during "blue skies" or at the height of an emergency), goals for 2023 and what inspires Director Ray every day as he carries out his duties at the State Emergency Operations Center.

The North Carolina State Fair takes place every October and brings in around one million people. Many state agencies contribute to putting on the show that is the state fair, but one detail that may be overlooked by many fair goers is the effort that goes into ensuring the fair is a safe event. State Capitol Police Chief Chip Hawley has been working fair security in different roles since 1985. In this podcast, you'll hear him recount his duties over the years and how the NC State Fair security team achieves the mission of protecting everyone on the fairgrounds.

In this episode we discuss how the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division is combating the use of fake IDs across North Carolina. Listen as Special Agent Brian White details the devastating consequences of fake ID use and underage drinking, as well as how outlets that sell alcoholic beverages can assist in stopping this trend in their communities.

Hurricane season is here and now is the time to make sure you are prepared in case North Carolina experiences impacts from one of these powerful storms. Many NC residents and visitors have seen the power and destruction of hurricanes firsthand and have experienced the hazards associated with them. NC Emergency Management meteorologists Kevin Kalbaugh and Laura Silver join us to talk through the natural hazards associated with hurricanes and how to be weather ready before, during and after a storm. NCEM Human Services Branch Manager Sandi Bridgers joins Safety Scoop for the first time to dive into what families can do to make sure they are prepared before a storm and how to build an emergency preparedness plan that fits your family's needs.

Severe Weather Preparedness Week is an annual safety informational campaign that takes place around the change of the seasons in March. The purpose is to educate North Carolinians on the impacts and safety concerns aligned with severe weather that typically happens in the springtime: Thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes and flooding. NC Emergency Management meteorologists Kevin Kalbaugh and Laura Silver share their knowledge of severe weather and the safest way to react if severe weather is happening around you, no matter where you are. 

DPS is hiring! Learn about the diverse professions and abundant career opportunities found within the Department of Public Safety. DPS recruiters Kevin Whitaker, Stephanie Bridgers, Joy Brown and Melissa Thames discuss benefits, tips for filling out applications, internships, opportunities for veterans and more. 

NC Emergency Management meteorologists Kevin Kalbaugh and Diana Thomas and NC State Highway Patrol Sergeant Marcus Bethea discuss how North Carolinians can prepare for winter weather in their homes and vehicles. Knowing what to do before severe weather hits is an important part of being weather ready, especially in the winter time.

Hear what North Carolina’s prisons have been doing in 2020 to protect staff and offenders during the pandemic. And find out how the state plans to enhance safety, upgrade technology and improve offender rehabilitation in the coming months and years.

North Carolina's Department of Public Safety is charged with keeping the public safe, while also protecting its employees and those in the department’s custody. This spring, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted prison officials to begin looking at ways within the Secretary’s authority to reduce the prison population. One of those ways involves transitioning select individuals to serve their remaining sentence under supervision through the Extended Limits of Confinement initiative.  Find out who is eligible, how many have been selected and what else NCDPS is doing to keep our communities safe.