Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST), 7th Edition
Our foundational course.

Ideal for training the new-hire or as a refresher for existing staff, APCO’s PST course covers the basics skills, knowledge and abilities every successful public safety telecommunicator needs to meet the demands of this critical work. The basic Public Safety Telecommunicator Training Course meets or exceeds the American National Standards as contained in the ANSI approved Minimum Training Standard for Public Safety Telecommunicators (APCO ANS 3.103.2.2015).
Building on foundational topics such as communication skills, calltaking and radio techniques, the PST course incorporates the most up-to-date information on technology and work-related issues in Public Safety Communications Centers. Topics include NextGen 9-1-1, emerging technologies, continuing education and liability.
Students successfully passing the final exam receive certification demonstrating completion of a training course that meets and exceeds industry accepted national basic training standards.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
- Introduction to Your New Career
- Preparing for Your New Career
- Interpersonal Communications
- Telephone Communications Techniques: Call Processing
- Telephony, Traditional Technology
- Next Generation 9-1-1
- Telephony: TTY
- Telematics and Collision Notification Systems
- Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Related Technologies
- Radio Communications Techniques
- Radio Technology
- Call Classifications
- The Incident Command System
- Liability Issues
CDEs Earned: 40
PREREQUISITES
None
RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
APCO Certified Public Safety Telecommunicators must provide proof every two years of 48 hours (24 hours per certification year) of Continuing Dispatch Education (CDE).
Options | Term | Tuition | |
Non-Member |
Full and Commercial Members |
||
Co-Host | 5 days | $329 | $309 |
Online | 4 weeks | $379 | $359 |
Virtual Classroom | 5 days | $389 | $369 |
Agency | 5 days | $0 (cost of student manuals only) | $0 (cost of student manuals only) |
Contract | 5 days | Contact us for pricing | Contact us for pricing |