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 #65177 How Can We Cope? Dealing With the Stress That Follows a Critical Incident

Have you ever wondered what critical incident stress management (CISM) is and why we use it in public safety? According to CISM International, CISM is “an intervention protocol developed specifically for dealing with traumatic events.”

Agencies can use formal and informal methods to debrief employees following traumatic 9-1-1 calls.

CDE #65178 Feedback Loop

When you support feedback within your emergency communications center (ECC), you allow your team to focus on improving performance and building relationships. Research has found that the culture established by leadership style and strategies, rewards and recognition, and communication from supervisors and managers significantly influences employee satisfaction and turnover decisions.

Acting on employee feedback is crucial for retention in the emergency communications center

Using CDE Articles for Recertification

To receive a complimentary certificate of completion.
Take the CDE exam online. Go to http://apco.remote-learner.net/login/index.php 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.