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 #65183 Find the Phone

What is the first question you ask when you answer an emergency phone call? It’s the one thing you need to know to send help immediately: location. But in an age when 97% of Americans own a cell phone calls can come from anywhere in the world. If you don’t know a caller’s location, what is a public safety telecommunicator to do?

The ECC’s phone system, the internet and the phone company can all help in searches for cellular callers who don’t identify their location.

CDE #65184 Talking Tech for Disaster Communications

We are all familiar with emergency communication center (ECC) disaster preparedness as it relates to evacuations, bug-out to the back-up centers, go bags and physical plans for continuity of services. But what about the technology that drives our services in public safety communications?

Backup systems are key to ECC continuity in case of disaster and disruption.

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.