APCO Offers Delivery Methods to Match Your Needs
APCO Institute courses are available as online, virtual classroom and live/in-person.
Online Courses
Online courses are a training option for those who may need to work around a busy schedule. Online courses are led by APCO Institute adjunct instructors but offer the flexibility to be accessed and viewed at a time convenient to the student. All lessons are completed online, with 24/7 access from any internet-enable device.
Virtual Classroom
Virtual Classroom offers live instruction in real-time by APCO Institute adjunct instructors. Each course is conducted in an interactive, engaging environment online, offering a similar experience to the traditional classroom setting. With set dates and schedules, virtual classroom courses offer a more expedient means to earn certifications versus traditional online courses. Virtual courses require that students have an internet-enabled computer with webcam, speakers and microphone for the duration of the course.
In-Person Courses
Live class options include training at APCO headquarters, at the annual conference, in your region with you as a co-host, or under contract at your agency. Individuals in your agency who have been certified as APCO Instructors for a discipline may also teach that course in your agency for only the cost of materials.
Online Course Catalog
Active Shooter Incidents for Public Safety Communications
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Course Description
Active shooter incidents are high-risk, high-stakes events that, without warning, can cause devastating consequences in just a few brief moments. For all facets of public safety, including communications, there are a host of issues that make responding to an active shooter incident more difficult than many other armed subject calls. These types of incidents have been increasing in frequency. Shooters have a wider range of more powerful weapons available. The motivations behind these incidents continue to grow more complex. As with any other type of emergency situation, the telecommunicator plays a vital role in the response to active shooter incidents. Telecommunicators need to be aware of the unique challenges posed by active shooter incidents and be prepared to address them well in advance. This course looks at the role of the telecommunicator through all stages of an active shooter incident.
This course is built on the experiences of frontline telecommunicators who have worked active shooter incidents. Upon their recommendation, the course is structured along the arc of events that happen before, during and after an active shooter incident. The goal of the course is to educate telecommunicators about the intricate issues and challenges posed by active shooter incidents, including preparedness for an incident, response to an incident and the role the telecommunicator plays following an incident.
Topics include
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Bullying and Negativity in the Communications Center
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Course Description
This course examines how bullying occurs and how to combat the issue. The eight-hour course explores the nature of the problem, its impact on people and organizations, corrective actions that can be taken, and steps to foster and maintain civility in the communications center. This course aims to help students develop the skills needed to effectively practice civil behavior, as well as demonstrate different ways organizations can systematically combat bullying and cultivate civility in the workplace. Topics include
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Comm Center Supervisor
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Course Description
The APCO Institute Communications Center Supervisor course is designed for prospective, new or experienced communications supervisors who want to enhance their supervisory skills and knowledge. Class lecture is supplemented by practical exercises that help students apply the lessons to their own agency policies and procedures. Students not only learn supervisory topics, but also learn how to work together in groups and cooperate to attain common goals. Topics include
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CALEA Accreditation Manager Courses
Recognizing that the success of the accreditation process is dependent upon the skills of the Accreditation Manager, this online course was developed specifically for the CALEA Accreditation Manager. It is ideal for training new accreditation managers or as a refresher for existing staff. The CALEA Accreditation Manager course introduces the student to history and purpose of CALEA, the resources available to assist agencies during the accreditation process, and use of agency written directives and proofs-of-compliance.
Students successfully completing all requirements will receive certification demonstrating completion of a training course, which meets CALEA standards for Accreditation Manager training.
Topics Include:
- Introduction to CALEA
- Introduction to PowerDMS
- Applying the CALEA Guide to Successful Accreditation Management
- Use of the CALEA Standards Manual
- Interpretation and application of CALEA standards
- Agency Self-assessment
- CALEA remote web-based and site-based assessments
Prerequisites:
Access to PowerDMS; provided by CALEA
Duration: 8 weeks for Public Safety Communications, Campus Security and Training Academy
Tuition: $499 per Student
Duration: 11 weeks for Law Enforcement
Tuition: $675 per Student
Upon successful completion, a joint certificate from APCO & CALEA will be issued and tracked by APCO.
This course was developed in partnership between the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO).
Communications Training Officer
Beginning January 2022, the APCO Institute will offer an updated version of its Communications Training Officer (CTO) course. Those certified in the CTO 5th Edition may register for the CTO 6th Edition Update course for a limited time at no cost to meet recertification requirements.
Learn more about what this means for those certified in CTO-5.
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Course Description
APCO Institute’s new Communications Training Officer (CTO) 6th Ed. course provides comprehensive training on the roles and responsibilities of CTOs in running an agency’s one-on-one training program. The course focuses on performance-based training and management and the need for standardized training with documentation. This CTO 6th Ed. course includes the essential elements of a CTO program based on the industry recognized “San Jose Model” while also incorporating the requirements set by the national standard for CTO programs — APCO ANS 3.101.3-2017 Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Training Officers. Topics include
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Communications Training Officer, 6th Edition, Update
The APCO Communications Training Officer 6th Ed. Student Update course is designed to bring current students who have received their CTO 5th Ed. certification current with the new 6th Ed. release.
Changes to the CTO 6th Ed. program include:
Changes to the CTO 6th Ed. program include:
- Content has been rewritten, revised, and updated throughout to align with the 2017 APCO/ANS 3.101.3-2017 Core Competencies and Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Training Officer (CTO)
- Many topics are new or updated from CTO 5th Ed.
- New introduction and new Mod. 8 – Future of the Workplace
- New PSC community created for CTO 6th Ed. Students
- Expanded section on DORs, how to fill out
- Providing performance feedback to trainees
- Reformatted and expanded videos, including new content
- Student resource package now incorporated into textbook
- Real-life words of advice and tips from experienced CTOs included
- New practical exercises added to the course
- New PowerPoint aligned with content in CTO 6th Ed.
- Newly designed textbook in line with other APCO course manuals
Communications Training Officer, Instructor
Beginning January 2022, the APCO Institute will offer an updated version of its Communications Training Officer (CTO) Instructor course. Those certified in the CTOI 5th Edition may register for the CTOI 6th Edition Update course for a limited time at no cost to meet recertification requirements.
Learn more about what this means for those certified in CT0I-5.
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Course Description
APCO Institute’s Communications APCO’s Agency Instructor Course offers agencies the chance to train staff members to serve as Agency Instructors able to teach specific APCO courses to staff within their ECC. Having agency instructors allows for a significant reduction in new-hire and in-service training and travel costs. The first part of the CTO-Instructor Course will equip participants with the necessary skills to be informative and effective instructors. The second part will consist of practical exercises and the discipline-specific training they need to be certified as an instructor for the Communications Training Officer 6th Ed. course. Participants should register for the Instructor Techniques course and indicate CTO as the discipline they want for their instructor certification. Students from all disciplines will be in the same class but will receive instruction based on their specific disciplines.
General Instructor Technique Topics
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Communications Training Officer, 6th Edition, Instructor, Update
The APCO Communications Training Officer 6th Ed. Instructor Update course is designed to bring current instructors who received their CTO 5th Ed. certification current with the new 6th Ed. release.
Changes to the CTO 6th Ed. program include:
Changes to the CTO 6th Ed. program include:
- Content has been rewritten, revised, and updated throughout to align with the 2017 APCO/ANS 3.101.3-2017 Core Competencies and Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Training Officer (CTO)
- Many topics are new or updated from CTO 5th Ed.
- New introduction and new Mod. 8 – Future of the Workplace
- New PSC community created for CTO 6th Ed. Agency Instructors
- Expanded section on DORs, how to fill out
- Providing performance feedback to trainees
- Reformatted and expanded videos, including new content
- Student resource package now incorporated into textbook
- Real-life words of advice and tips from experienced CTOs included
- New final exam
- New practical exercises added to the course
- New PowerPoint aligned with content in CTO 6th Ed.
- Newly designed textbook in line with other APCO course manuals
Comprehensive Quality
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Course Description
A Comprehensive Quality Program cannot be created overnight. A program must be thought out and prior planning efforts put into the system utilizing the methods of measurement and the analysis of results achieved. A successful Quality Program will require a systematic approach. This course will provide the necessary insight so that the proper tools and methodologies can be employed to make the Quality Program a vital and useful part of your organization. Topics include
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Crisis Negotiations
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Course Description
The telecommunicator is the first voice in any crisis, the first point of contact the caller has with public safety, and sometimes the first contact a person in crisis has had with anybody in a long time. Crisis negotiation calls are truly life or death incidents for the caller and, perhaps, for others involved in the incident. These calls are unlike emergencies that telecommunicators handle every day. A crisis does not have a clearcut response plan, its nature and outcome are hard to discern. There is no way to know how long it will take to resolve or by what means. Outcomes depend on the way responders interact with the person on the other end of the phone. Clearly not an on-the-job training situation, the best preparation for telecommunicators is training as much as possible before they have to handle a crisis call. This course builds on the all the skills of basic telecommunicator training but has the specific goal of diving deeper into the nature of crises, their progression, and the most effective way to receive and process calls. Within its scope, the course provides an overview of crisis negotiations looking at the special concerns related to hostage situations, barricaded subjects, and persons with suicidal intent. By the end of the course, the student will have both conceptual tools to help understand crisis situations, they will also have tools to use when working to resolve these incidents. Topics include
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Customer Service in Today’s Public Safety Communications
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Course Description
Providing satisfactory customer service in the high energy, often high stress field of public safety communications, is paramount to successful performance in this profession, both for the individual telecommunicator as well as the agency they represent. This course addresses all aspects of customer service and how it impacts our industry. Although intangible, it is a critical component that must be understood and applied in excellence to every situation. Topics include
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Cybersecurity Fundamentals for the ECC
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Course Description
Cybersecurity has become an ever-increasing threat for public safety. Emergency communications centers (ECCs) are a valuable and vulnerable target for bad actors of all types. As a result of their high importance and visibility within the public safety ecosystem, ECCs have been battling cyberattacks for years. Public safety is at constant risk for many types of cyberattacks. Research indicates that the frequency and intensity of cyberattacks will continue to grow. All ECC employees need to be educated on the types of cyberattacks and related activity that occur daily in the United States. This course provides a basic overview of the critical pieces of information that all ECC employees should know – from surfing the internet to being aware of key indicators in email for possible phishing attempts. This course also provides several resources for creating an Incident Response Plan and what to do if your ECC experiences a cyberattack. This course is built on the experiences of public safety cybersecurity experts and ECC professionals. . This course will provide ECC professionals with foundational knowledge of cyberattacks, including the anatomy of a cyberattack, signs of an ongoing cyberattack and mitigation techniques. This includes preparing for cyberattacks, response to those attacks and the type of data to protect for post-attack forensics. Topics include
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Disaster Operations and the Communications Center
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Course Description
The world’s first comprehensive disaster operations course designed specifically for the public safety communications professional! This course serves to educate the public safety telecommunicator on a wide range of man-made and natural disasters, their effects on the community and its infrastructure, and the response and recovery needs of each. In addition, this course will provide telecommunicators with information on overall emergency management and homeland security and provide guidance on continuity of operations for the emergency communications center (ECC) in the face of a multitude of disaster situations. The importance of educating today’s public safety communications professional on their role and the role of the ECC in disaster operations is greater than ever before. There is a defined role for public safety communications in every element of disaster response and recovery. As public safety’s ability and need to address disaster situations evolves, the telecommunicator needs to be familiar with all types of disasters – man-made and natural – and how those events can impact the communications function. Topics include
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Diversity, Inclusion, Civility and Equity (DICE) Workshop
| APCO’s DICE workshop brings together supervisory level staff and others from an emergency communications center alongside agency-specific data to explore experiences and viewpoints to better understand how perceptions – both individual and institutional – can affect how employees interact with each other in their workplace. The workshop also explores interventions to counter biases, microaggressions, incivility and other negative workplace behaviors.
It focuses on behaviors, not beliefs, to recognize actions that undermine colleagues and teamwork. Based on guided discussions, readings and active engagement, participants will actively seek best practices and next practices that will make their agencies healthier and more inclusive organizations where everybody can work as their authentic selves, fully engaged, while contributing to fulfilling the agency’s mission. Workshop participants are tasked throughout the workshop to develop a sustainable effort to reach out to all staff in the ECC and engage them in an ongoing effort to build positive change in the workplace. |
Topics include:
Application ProcessHosting the workshop requires that an ECC and its leadership be fully committed to improving DICE-related issues in the center since participants will be tasked with establishing and implementing a plan to address issues identified in the workshop. Offered only on an agency level, there must be a commitment to full participation by ALL supervisory level personnel; CTOs, shift supervisors, and other management to include agency directors for the full 24-hour workshop, as well as a signed commitment by the agency director to continue to implement the developed plan after the workshop concludes.
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Interested ECC directors should contact [email protected] for more information about bringing the DICE workshop to their agencies.
Emergency Medical Dispatcher
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Course Description
Topics covered provide the student with the knowledge and foundation to answer calls for emergency medical service and properly prioritize the response. The course also provides the student with the knowledge needed to convey proper pre-arrival instructions to the caller when needed. Topics include
The classroom setting provides practical exercises to help the new EMD become familiar with the theories and practices of EMD and students will practice with their agency’s APCO Institute EMD Guidecards in simulated EMD calls. Completion of this course is required for enrollment in the EMD Instructor. Note: The online EMD course requires students to attend a web seminar in week three and a practical practice conference call in week six. The week three web seminar lasts approximately one hour. The week six practical practice conference call lasts around 1.5 hours. The final practical practice is completed by a one-on-one conference call with the instructor at the end of the course. These sessions may or may not be during the student’s regularly scheduled work time, especially if the student works overnight. Arrangements will/may have to be made at the agency level to allow the student to attend these required sessions. |
Emergency Medical Dispatch Concepts
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Course Description
Topics covered provide the student with the knowledge and foundation to answer calls for emergency medical service and properly prioritize the response. The course also provides the student with the knowledge needed to convey proper pre-arrival instructions to the caller when needed. Topics include
The classroom setting provides practical exercises to help the new EMD become familiar with the theories and practices of EMD and students will practice with their agency’s APCO Institute EMD Guidecards in simulated EMD calls. Completion of this course is required for enrollment in the EMD Instructor. Note: The online EMD course requires students to attend a web seminar in week three and a practical practice conference call in week six. The week three web seminar lasts approximately one hour. The week six practical practice conference call lasts around 1.5 hours. The final practical practice is completed by a one-on-one conference call with the instructor at the end of the course. These sessions may or may not be during the student’s regularly scheduled work time, especially if the student works overnight. Arrangements will/may have to be made at the agency level to allow the student to attend these required sessions. |
Emergency Medical Dispatch Instructor
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Course Description
The APCO Institute EMD Program combines telecommunicator skills with medical knowledge. According to ASTM and NHTSA standards the APCO Institute requires that the Emergency Medical Dispatch Course be taught by instructors with medical and telecommunicator backgrounds. All EMD instructor candidates must hold a current CPR certification (AHA, ARC or equivalent) and those who wish to teach the medical portion must have, minimally, current certification as an Advanced EMT under the National Standard Curriculum as set by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Any candidate that does not possess or obtain this level of training will be classified as a restricted dispatch instructor and will not be able to teach the medical portion of the courses. If one individual can fulfill both the telecommunications and medical requirements, that person may teach the entire course alone. If not, the course must be presented by two APCO EMD instructors who meet the proper qualifications. Any agency that does not have an in-house medical instructor can contact APCO for assistance with instructing the medical modules for an additional cost. Topics include
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Emergency Medical Dispatch Manager
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Course Description
This course will assist with the implementation and management of the APCO Institute EMD Program. It is intended to provide appropriate personnel, whether administrator, communications supervisor or other management personnel, with the necessary guidelines and information required for the management of their agency’s EMD program. This includes creating and maintaining an effective quality control program as well as tips and guidelines for ensuring compliance with the APCO Institute EMD Program and the relevant national standards. Topics include
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Fire Service Communications
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Course Description
Effective communications is a critical component of fire service operations. It provides the vital link between citizens and responders. APCO Institute’s Fire Service Communications, 2nd Edition course continues to advance fire communications training, improving service to the caller and increasing safety of the responders. This dynamic course covers the terms, techniques and protocols required for excellence in fire service call taking and dispatch. Choose a course number to learn more. Topics include
The course manual contains numerous photographs and illustrations to bring the course material to life and serves as an excellent reference source once back on the job. APCO Institute certified instructors who successfully complete this course can upgrade their instructor certificate to teach this dynamic course in-house or regionally for the cost of the course books only!! Instructional media and exercises used throughout the course reinforce the knowledge attained in lecture and demonstration. If taught by your own APCO Institute certified instructors, it becomes an economical way to train your staff at your own pace. |
Fire Service Communications, Instructor
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Course Description
This course explores the basic skills and techniques of teaching.Based on the principles of adult education, the students study the dynamics of instructional delivery. Successful completion of this course provides your agency instructors with the techniques they need to apply to the Fire Service Communications course.As agency instructors, they will be able to deliver the FSC course either in-house or regionally, allowing for significant reduction in your in-service training and travel costs. Instructional media and exercises used throughout the course reinforce the knowledge attained in lecture and demonstration. In addition, each participant receives a comprehensive Fire Service Communications, Second Edition Instructor Guide Package as part of the course tuition. The Instructor Guide Package includes the Instructor Techniques textbook, course outline, lesson plans, the student text, and detailed instructions on how to set up and run the course in-house for your agency. Once certified as an FSC Instructor, your instructors will be registered in our online community of instructors, created just for the Fire Service Communications course.This PSConnect community will give access to the teaching resources, including the companion PowerPoint, audio-visual resources, optional readings, study packages, puzzles and games. FSC – Instructor Technique textbook includes modules on:
Upon successful completion of the course, your agency instructor will be able to:
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Law Enforcement Communications
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Course Description
Effective communications is a critical component of law enforcement service operations. The telecommunicator provides the vital link between citizens and law enforcement responders. APCO Institute’s Law Enforcement Communications, 1st Edition course is a vital component in our training selection, by improving service to the caller and increasing safety of the responders. This dynamic course covers the terms, techniques and guidelines required for excellence in law enforcement call handling and radio dispatching. Topics include
The course manual contains numerous photographs and illustrations to bring the course material to life and serves as an excellent reference source once back on the job. Instructional resources include study guides (with audio and video clips), role-plays and scenario-based training materials. APCO Institute certified instructors who successfully complete this course can upgrade their instructor certificate to teach this dynamic course in-house for the cost of the course books only!! Instructional media and exercises used throughout the course reinforce the knowledge attained in lecture and demonstration. If taught by your own APCO Institute certified instructors, it becomes an economical way to train your staff at your own pace and introduce or review agency specific policies. |
Law Enforcement Communications, Instructor
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Course Description
This course explores the basic skills and techniques of teaching. Based on the principles of adult education, the students study the dynamics of instructional delivery. Successful completion of this course provides your agency instructors with the techniques they need to apply to the Law Enforcement Communications course. As agency instructors they will be able to deliver the LEC course either in-house or regionally, allowing for significant reduction in your in-service training and travel costs. Instructional media and exercises used throughout the course reinforce the knowledge attained in lecture and demonstration. In addition, each participant receives a comprehensive Law Enforcement Communications, First Edition Instructor Guide Package as part of the course tuition. The Instructor Guide Package includes the Instructor Techniques textbook, course outline, lesson plans, the student text, and detailed instructions on how to set up and run the course in-house for your agency. Once certified as a LEC Instructor, your instructors will be registered in our online community of instructors, created just for the Law Enforcement Communications course.This PSConnect community will give access to the teaching resources, including the companion PowerPoint, audio-visual resources, optional readings, study packages, puzzles and games. LEC – Instructor Technique textbook includes modules on:
Upon successful completion of the course, your agency instructor will be able to:
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Public Safety Telecommunicator
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Course Description
Ideal for training the new-hire or as a refresher for existing staff, APCO’s PST1 course covers the basics skills, knowledge and abilities every successful public safety telecommunicator needs to meet the demands of this critical work. Students successfully passing the final exam receive APCO Institute certification demonstrating completion of a training course that meets and exceeds industry accepted national basic training standards, including the APCO/ANS 3.103.2.2015 and NFPA 1061 2014 Edition. Building on foundational topics such as communication skills, calltaking and radio techniques, the PST course blends in the most up-to-date information on technology and work-related issues in public safety communications centers. “Hot” topics include NextGen 9-1-1, emerging technologies, continuing ed., and liability. Topics include
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Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor
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Course Description
This course explores the basic skills and techniques of teaching. Based on the principles of adult education, the students study the dynamics of instructional delivery. Successful completion of this course provides your agency instructors with the techniques they need to apply to the Public Safety Telecommunicator 1 course.As agency instructors, they will be able to deliver the PST1 course in-house, allowing for significant reduction in your in-service training and travel costs. Instructional media and exercises used throughout the course reinforce the knowledge attained in lecture and demonstration. In addition, each participant receives a comprehensive Public Safety Telecommunicator 1, Seventh Edition Instructor Guide Package as part of the course tuition. The Instructor Guide Package includes the Instructor Techniques textbook, course outline, lesson plans, the student text, access to PSConnect PST Instructor Community and detailed instructions on how to set up and run the course in-house for your agency. Once certified as a PST1 Instructor, you will be registered in our online community of instructors, created just for the Public Safety Telecommunicator 1 course.This PS Connect community will give access to the teaching resources, including the companion PowerPoint, audio-visual resources, optional readings, study packages, puzzles and games. PST1 – Instructor Technique textbook includes modules on:
Upon successful completion of the course, your agency instructor will be able to:
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Public Safety Communications Staffing and Employee Retention
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Course Description
In 2009, the Next Generation of APCO Project RETAINS announced that research had proven turnover rates for emergency communication centers (ECC) in the US were at 19%. That was an increase of 3% since 2005 and still reflected a higher turnover rate than the teaching and nursing industries – both highly publicized staffing crises. It is common knowledge that the public safety communications industry has suffered from an inability to effectively recruit and maintain employees. This in turn has required ECCs across the country to invest millions of dollars in a vicious cycle of continuous recruitment, training new hires and overtime that merely addresses the symptoms of this issue and not the core problem. Designed to provide guidance and information to ECC employees at every level, this course provides over 300 tips, guidelines and effective practices on subjects ranging from creating effective shift schedules to candidate recruitment and from maintaining staff to employee recognition. Perfect for a one-day pre-conference or post-conference course. |
Surviving Stress
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Course Description
Stress is one of the most common words used in society today and something that each one of us will experience at some point in our life. Stress affects people of all ages, professions and life situations. However, emergency communications as a profession is inherently stressful with the various demands placed upon them by nature of the profession. Understanding these causes of stress in the profession will allow the public safety telecommunicator to recognize and mitigate some of the stressful situations that they may encounter. This course addresses how to detect stress within yourself and co-workers and provides measures to reduce its impact. Topics include
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Fundamentals of Tactical Dispatch
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Course Description
The APCO Institute Fundamentals of Tactical Dispatch course is designed for telecommunicators who want to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities so they can ultimately serve as a member of a tactical/incident dispatch team. The course uses scenarios and practical exercises to explore the issues involved in working major events and responding to major incidents. Class work focuses on sharpening the skills needed to fulfill the role and responsibilities for tactical dispatch. Topics include:
Classroom instruction is supplemented by practical exercises that help students apply the lessons to their own agency’s policies and procedures. Students not only learn topics relating to their individual performance but also learn how to work together in teams to manage events and incidents that require the coordination response of multiple agencies and multiple jurisdictions.
Required Free FEMA Independent Study Courses: |
