Alexandria, VA – Today a group of 9-1-1 organizations jointly announced that they have been participating in an effort to develop recommended minimum training guidelines for the nation’s 9-1-1 calltakers and dispatchers. The topics to be included in the recommended guidelines were identified by members of the following organizations, as well as other key stakeholders representing the 9-1-1 community:

• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
• Connecticut Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection
• Denise Amber Lee Foundation
• Fairfax County (Virginia) Department of Public Safety
• Greater Harris County (Texas) 911 Network
• Hamilton County (Indiana) Public Safety Communications
• International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED)
• National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA)
• National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)
• PowerPhone
• Priority Dispatch
• RedSky Technologies
• Rochester/Monroe County (New York) Emergency Communications Department
• Vail (Colorado) Public Safety Communications Center
• Weakley County (Tennessee) Emergency 911

“It is vitally important that Americans receive a consistent level of 9-1-1 service, no matter where they live or where they travel, and the recommended minimum training guidelines being developed collaboratively by these key organizations are a huge leap forward in achieving that goal,” said Nathan Lee, president of the Denise Amber Lee Foundation.

“APCO International is pleased to participate in the effort to create recommended training guidelines,” said APCO president Brent Lee. “APCO will continue to collaborate with the other stakeholders to support state and local agencies as they develop their individual 9-1-1- training programs.”

The recommended minimum training guidelines will cover the following topics:

• Telecommunicator roles and responsibilities
• 9-1-1 call processing
• Radio communications
• Emergency management
• Emergency communications technology
• Legal concepts
• Interpersonal communications
• Stress management
• Quality assurance
• On-the-job training guidelines

The recommended training topics have been vetted by the leadership of each participating organization. The next step will be to allow the 9-1-1 community at large to review and comment on the recommended minimum training guidelines. It is anticipated that the recommended guidelines will be finalized for distribution to public safety and emergency response agencies by the end of 2016.

A parallel goal is to develop model legislation that can be used within any state that does not currently have legislation in this area. For those that do, the model legislation is intended as a baseline to ensure that the recommended topics listed above are being covered. The group recognizes and acknowledges that 9-1-1 is under the control of state and local authorities, and its intent is to assist those authorities having jurisdiction. These recommended guidelines are not a federal mandate.

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APCO International® (www.apcointl.org)

APCO International is the world’s oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals and supports the largest U.S. membership base of any public safety association. It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole.