Earn Free CDEs With PSC Magazine Articles and Exams

Each issue of PSC magazine contains two continuing dispatch education (CDE) articles. Read the article and take the accompanying exam, available in the magazine and online, to earn continuing education credit. Unless indicated otherwise, each article and exam is worth one CDE.

Please note: Dated materials or information are current, applicable and relevant only as of the date of their issue and should not be relied upon as being current after that date. Nor is any of this information intended to serve as agency guidelines. As always, APCO advises you to follow your agency’s policies and procedures.

CDE #77097 What Is a Cyberattack

NIST defines a cyberattack as “any kind of malicious activity that attempts to collect, disrupt, deny, degrade or destroy information system resources or the information itself.” For ECCs, these threats can target critical infrastructure, such as computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, phone networks and databases that public safety telecommunicators rely on to respond to emergencies.

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Understanding common cyber threats can help ECC personnel recognize risks and protect critical systems.

CDE #77098 When Technology Becomes the Emergency

Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure and public safety agencies are becoming more frequent, sophisticated and disruptive. For emergency communications centers (ECCs), the stakes are especially high.

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As cyber threats grow more frequent and disruptive, ECCs must treat incident response planning as an essential part of operational preparedness.

More CDE Articles

The following titles are currently available:

Please note link change: Articles prior to CDE #73785 list an old link for taking the exams.
All CDE exams must now be accessed at https://www.training-apcointl.org/.

 

 

 

 

Using CDE Articles for Recertification

To receive a complimentary certificate of completion.
Take the CDE exam online. Go to ​https://www.training-apcointl.org/ to create your username and password. Enter “CDE article” in the search box, and click on “Public Safety Communications Magazine Article Exams,” then click on ”enroll me” and choose the name of the CDE to begin the exam. Upon successful completion of the exam, a certificate of achievement will be available for download/printing.

To use the CDE articles for credit toward APCO recertification(s)
Each CDE article is equal to one credit hour of continuing education

  1. Study the CDE article in this issue.
  2. Answer the test questions online or on the quiz page from the magazine article. (Photocopies are not required.)
  3. Add/upload your CDE article information and certificate of achievement in the “My Classes Taken” section of APCO’s Training Central.

To use the CDE articles for anything other than APCO recertifications and get a printed copy of the certificate:

  1. Answer the test questions. Photocopies are acceptable, but please don’t enlarge them.
  2. Fill out the ordering information below and mail with the completed exam to:
    APCO Institute
    351 N. Williamson Blvd.
    Daytona Beach, FL 32114
  3. Include payment of $15.