WASHINGTON — The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International today stressed the importance of telecommunicator training following the charging of two Detroit dispatchers allegedly involved in the death of a boy’s mother after assuming the two calls from the boy were prank calls.
The APCO Institute’s “Public Safety Telecommunicator 1, Sixth Edition” addresses the ways to handle emergency calls from all callers, including children and chronic callers. The training material stresses that all calls should be handled on their own merit and that calls should never be disregarded based on presumptions of the severity of the call.
Specifically, the training notes that when facing a crisis, children tend to appear calm because they do not always understand the severity of the situation. It is recommended that call takers not judge the severity of the situation on the level of emotion expressed by the caller. In addition, it is important to note that children have been warned about playing on the phone or only calling 9-1-1 when there is an emergency and may be apprehensive about calling. It is recommended that call takers reassure children that they did the right thing by calling 9-1-1.
“The telecommunicator is the vital link between citizens in need and public safety response units,” the training material says. “It is imperative that telecommunicators learn proper call processing techniques for controlling the call and gathering pertinent information. The quality of the information obtained by the telecommunicator will have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the public safety response.”
About APCO Institute
APCO Institute, a subsidiary of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International, is the premier organization addressing educational and certification needs of public safety communications agencies. The Institute offers a selection of affordable training and educational resources for public safety communicators throughout the United States and in the international arena. Instructional offerings range from first-line basic training to supervisory, and communication center management courses, technical testing, agency and agent certification, and Web Seminars addressing current public safety communications issues. APCO Institute offers several training options including certification programs through traditional classroom instruction and APCO Institute Online internet-based training. APCO Virtual College, a cooperative effort between APCO Institute and the Institute for Emergency Preparedness (IEP) offers a degree program in Public Safety Communications. APCO Virtual College is an internet-based distance learning academic program designed for, and directed specifically toward individuals in the public safety communication. For more information, visit www.apcoinstitute.org.
About APCO International
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. APCO International serves the professional needs of its 15,000 members worldwide by creating a platform for setting professional standards, addressing professional issues and providing education, products and services for people who manage, operate, maintain and supply the communications systems used by police, fire and emergency medical dispatch agencies throughout the world. For more information, visit www.apcointl.org.