Microlearning is a revolutionary approach to training that is transforming how public safety personnel receive education and prepare for their mission-critical roles.
The Telecommunicators Are Out There
In this challenging hiring environment, managers have become focused on how to fine-tune their recruitment process to attract the highest caliber employee.
Lives of Others
[Originally published in the March/April 2024 PSC magazine.] Bringing family or friends to the workplace can open their eyes to the pressures experienced by public safety telecommunications. By Sherianne Hermes Upon returning home from my shift, my husband asks about my day and why I needed to work last-minute overtime today to cover a sick […]
Dispatching in the Drone Zones
Drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), have emerged as increasingly valuable tools for first responders, revolutionizing how emergency personnel approach critical situations by being able to provide real-time aerial insights and capabilities that were once difficult or impossible to attain.
Unauthorized Interruption
It is a growing trend across the United States. Individuals video government buildings and employees, and the bloggers or auditors identify themselves as First Amendment Auditors.
Meet the Hosts: The Tennessee APCO Chapter
By Jennifer Schwendimann
The Tennessee APCO Chapter was started in July 1970, according to the original constitution and by-laws, and in 2023 is excited to showcase some of what our state has to offer while serving as host chapter for the APCO International conference.
Why We Leave 9-1-1
What about those who can master the skillset needed but leave anyway? Why do they leave?
When 9-1-1 Happens to You
While public safety telecommunicators’ exposure to others’ trauma is part of the profession, the chance of experiencing a personal tragedy during a telecommunicator’s career is also a reality.
Chatbot 9-1-1
One technology being considered is chatbots — or bots — for non-emergency calls and for assistance during significant events.
Swatting: A Deadly Trend
Swatting is a prank call made to an ECC intending to have an emergency response team dispatched to a particular location. The dangerous pranks are a risk to first responders and the public, but there are warning signs telecommunicators can look out for.
Overcoming Adversity in Public Safety Communications
A global pandemic and one of the tightest job markets in history have left ECCs much like the Continental Army — underfunded, understaffed and facing seemingly overwhelming challenges that threaten their chances for success. It is times like these that call for bold thinking and unwavering leadership.
CPRA Welcomes You to Southern California
The Southern California Chapter of APCO (The California Public-Safety Radio Association) is hosting APCO 2022 in Anaheim, bringing together thousands of public safety professionals from across the nation and across the world to share, research and explore the many facets of public safety communications.
Anaheim, Calif., Hosts APCO 2022
[Originally published in the July/August 2022 PSC magazine.] By Tina Chaffin The varied sights and sounds of Southern California will greet APCO International’s Annual Conference & Expo participants. The APCO Annual Conference & Expo will be held August 7-10 in Anaheim, California, about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles in beautiful Orange County. Anaheim is […]
How To Protect Scheduled Time Off
It is no secret that the long shifts required of public safety telecommunicators can cause challenges for relationships, activities and self-care outside of work. In a recent survey of California telecommunicators, participants shared that the heart of the issue was that frequently their scheduled time off was not honored, which worsened multiple areas of work-life balance.
Rediscover the Human Beneath the Headset
In my opinion, a compassionate telecommunicator is a solid foundation for an effective one. And the sooner we can each rediscover what makes us all the same deep down, the sooner we can grasp that we aren’t really that different from our callers.
Keys to Handling a Mass Shooting as a Public Safety Telecommunicator
During a mass shooting, the ECC will be overwhelmed with calls. There will be calls from persons involved in the incident, friends and family of those affected, and potentially the shooter. The telecommunicator must process calls quickly to obtain as much information as possible.
San Antonio Hosts APCO 2021
Located in south-central Texas, where Interstate 10 meets Interstate 35, San Antonio is a city of 1.5 million, rich with history and culture. The popular tourist destination in Bexar (pronounced “bear”) County offers various restaurants, shops, amusement parks, live music, theater and outdoor activities.
Promoting Collaboration: Telecommunicators and Field Responders
As our small, law enforcement-run agency expanded in rural South Dakota, we wanted to maintain our connection to field responders with whom we interacted daily.
Managing Trauma
What is a traumatic event? For telecommunicators, traumatic events can be anything. While not every call we take is traumatic, the cumulative toll of the job itself is. The effects of cumulative acute stress can be detrimental to our mental and physiological health.
The Multitalented, Multitasking Public Safety Polymath
You have probably heard of Leonardo da Vinci, the 15th-century architect, artist, engineer, inventor and scientist. Leonardo da Vinci was a man of a great many talents, what one would refer to as a Renaissance man. Nowadays, this term has become interchangeable with the word polymath. Public safety telecommunicators can be the polymaths of public safety.
AI Is Coming: Will I Still Have A Job?
[Originally published in the March/April 2020 PSC magazine.] By Suzanne Ladd, Senior Program Manager for Seminole County Fire/EMS Emergency Communications It’s really hard to believe that it was just 51 years ago when the first 9-1-1 call was made in the United States in Haleyville, Alabama. At that time, this was innovation and just the beginning […]
