Offering Hope: Shelby Woody Reflects On Winning 911 Dispatcher Of The Year

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Shelby Woody always knew she wanted a career where she could help people.

Last year alone, this 911 call taker answered 7,299 calls and helped guide a caller to perform CPR during a cardiac arrest. Her efforts helped save the patient’s life. Woody has an almost supernatural, single-minded focus on helping the person on the other end of the phone and knows that her success depends on staying calm and getting it done.

“I’m very dedicated to what I do,” Woody said in an interview with The BayNet. “When I’m assigned a task, I’m very focused on the job and ensuring I complete it to the best of my ability. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to do this job every day.”

Woody described her focus as part of what drives her. In that moment, she knows that the person she’s speaking to needs help. They need hope, they need calm. They need to know that someone is there for them. And while maintaining her composure can be challenging in the face of difficult calls or emotional people, Woody centers on making sure people she’s talking to know she’s there and is with them every step of the way.

“I want them to know they’re not alone. We’re here to help, and we’re here for them.”

Woody also cites her father as a major source of inspiration for her chosen career path. Woody is from Huntingtown, and her father spent 40 years in law enforcement. She grew up seeing both the impact he had on the community and the ways the job challenged him to grow and learn.

Woody, who went away to college in Utah before returning to Southern Maryland for work, said she loves the area and chose this path here for particular reasons. She knew it would lead to a fulfilling career where she could actively contribute to the community. Helping people, she said, is the most important thing and all she wants to do.

“You’re constantly learning on the job. There’s something new every day. Not just with the job, but with life, and learning how to work with co-workers and learning about myself,” Woody said. She hopes to continue to grow in her field and learn as much as she can, while helping as many people as she can along the way.

As for the award, Woody repeatedly said how grateful she was to be recognized. But more so, she was grateful for a role where she got to work with amazing people who uplift and rely on each other.

“We have a great team and the shift is great. Everyone works together to assist in any way possible to every citizen calling. We all just really want to offer any assistance we can.”

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