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. Please visit our Standards webpage to review current standards.

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.

• Introduction to Your new Career
• Interpersonal Communications
• Telephone Communications Techniques: Call Processing
• Telephony, Traditional Technology
• Next Generation 9-1-1
• Telephony: TTY
• Telematics and Collision Notification Systems
• Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Related technologies
• Radio Communications Techniques
• Radio Technology
• Call Classifications
• NIMS Incident Command System
• Liability Issues
• Preparing for your New Career (stress management)