Textbook/Other Materials

Instructional Material Required:
Please bring your department's EMDPRG

Supplementary readings:
NFPA 1061, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Public Safety
Telecommunicator, 2002 edition
Available from NFPA at www.nfpa.org

Instructor materials:
Teaching Outline and PowerPoint: Rev. 7/2004

Course Description/Objectives

Description:
This is the only course which meets both the professional qualification objectives established by both NFPA and the Alabama Department of Public Health/Emergency Medical Dispatch. Designed for the entry level dispatcher/telecommunicator, this course will familiarize them with the basic concepts of alarm transmission and emergency dispatch procedures along with learning the skills involved with using the EMDPRS.

Goals:
The purpose of this course is to specify, in terms of performance objectives, the minimum requirements for professional service as a public safety telecommunicator. This course shall cover the requirements for the Public Safety Telecommunicator levels of progression.

Objectives:
After completion of the Public Safety Telecommunicator course, the candidate must be able to perform the following job performance requirements:

• Establish verbal communication with a service requester, given a telephone or other communication device, a means of collecting information, operating procedures, and a work station, so that a communication link with the requester is achieved.
• Extract pertinent information, given a request for public safety service, so that accurate information regarding the request is obtained.
• Establish nonverbal communications, given a request for public safety service through a communications device, so that accurate information regarding the request is obtained.
• Generate records of public safety services requests, given agency policies, procedures, and resources, so that the record is correct, complete, and concise.
• Analyze information provided by a service requester, given the policies, procedures, and values of the agency, so that the request is accurately categorized and prioritized.
• Assess incomplete, conflicting, or inconclusive information or data, given special or unusual circumstance and policies and procedures, so that an allocation of resources is determined.
• Evaluate a categorized and prioritized service request, given available resources, so that an allocation of resources is determined.
• Initiate the timely addition, deletion, and correction of data, given agency policies and procedures, so that documents, files, databases, maps, and resource lists are accurately maintained.
• Release information and data, as required for the incident or service request, to the citizen, other telecommunicators, or another agency that results in resolution, referral, or response.
• Convey instructions, information, and directions to the service requester, given agency policies and procedures, so that information appropriate to the incident is consistent with those policies and procedures.
• Relay information to other telecommunications personnel or entities, given processed data, so that accurate information regarding the request for service is provided.
• Respond to requests for information, given an inquiry from the public or the media, so that the policies and procedures are followed
• To acquire information from multiple sources requiring public safety services or assistance. These sources can include other telecommunicators, field units, or electronic devices.
• Monitor public safety radio systems, given equipment used by the agency, so that information requiring action by the telecommunicator is identified.
• Monitor electronic data systems, given equipment used by the agency, so that information requiring action by the telecommunicator is identified.
• Monitor alarm systems, given equipment used by the agency, so that information requiring action by the telecommunicator is identified.
• Analyze, classify, and summarize data for dispatch or referral. Monitor status of resources and determine units for deployment.
• Evaluate incident information, given a validated request for service, available resources, and agency policies and procedures, so that an appropriate response is determined and a resource allocation prepared.
• Maintain location and status of units, given the resources available to the agency and utilizing the systems and equipment in the communications center, so that the current availability, status, and safety of all deployable resources are known.
• Analyze alarm information, given signals, messages, codes, and data, so that the information is properly interpreted in preparation for the allocation of resources.
• Assess the priority of a service request, given information provided by other telecommunicators or field units and the agency policies and procedures, so that the priority of the request is refined.
• Formulate a response, using the validated and prioritized request for service and the availability of deployable resources, so that the most appropriate response is selected and the safety of response units is considered.
• The action that results in the resolution of the request for services. This is achieved by the transmission and relay of information or data to field units or other resources.
• Initiate deployment of response units, using the validated and prioritized request for service given the agencies telecommunications equipment, so that service request information is conveyed to units designated for response.
• Relay service request information, given available resources and telecommunications equipment, so that all pertinent information is communicated to responding units.
• Acquire supplemental information, given a service request, so that current information is evaluated, prioritized, and relayed to response units or other personnel and agencies as needed.
• Activate the community emergency action plan, given data indicating the likelihood or onset of a critical situation beyond the normal scope of operations, so that the implementation is timely and in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
• Activate communication center emergency action plan, given internal emergency and agency policies and procedures, so that the integrity of the communications system is maintained and the safety of center personnel is achieved.
   

Instructional methods: Classroom instruction and hands on practical evolutions

 Course Schedule

 (Tentative, subject to change depending on the progress of the class)

Day One:
Welcome and Introduction; Emergency Call Receiving

Day Two:
Emergency Call Receiving; Fire Communications

Day Three:
Radio; Telecommunicator Liability and Responsibility; Emergency Medical Dispatch

Day Four:
Emergency Medical Dispatch; Practical Hands-on Evolutions

Day Five:
Emergency Medical Dispatch, Practical Hands-on Evolutions, Review, Critique, Final EMD Exam, Telecommunicator Certification Exam

Course Policies

Tardiness:
Students must adhere to class schedules. Students are required to be punctual for all classes and class activities. Classes will begin promptly at the scheduled time unless specific instructions are given otherwise.

Class participation:
This course will involve discussion, questions and answers on the materials, and case study. Class participation is expected from all students.

Safety:
Safety of the student is top priority to the Alabama Fire College. Students must adhere to safety regulations while attending a class on or off the Fire College campus.  At the Fire College campus, safety instructions are posted in every classroom, as well as escape routes and tornado actions.

Academic misconduct:
Academic misconduct or dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism is not permitted in class. Suspected cases of academic misconduct will be reported to the Executive Director. Conduct detrimental to the fire service on or off campus will not be tolerated.  We will investigate any complaints, and if the complaint is valid the student will be dismissed and his/her agency will be notified.

Grading:
Letter grades are assigned according to the following system for all certification courses for which students have registered.
A – Excellent (90-100)
B – Good (80-89)
C – Average (70-79)
Satisfactory grades for certification are A, B, or C. A mark of AU is assigned for course work performed as an audit.

Certification:
There will be an examination for state certification provided by the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission. An overall score of 70% is required to the successful completion of this examination. Re-tests may be taken after 30 days and within 12 months of the date of course completion. The Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission is accredited by the National Professional Qualifications System (NPQS). The Executive Director has generously decided to fund national registration and certification for all successful students, so each student will automatically receive certification from the NPQS upon successful completion of the course and exam. 

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