DISPATCHU COURSE CATALOG - PowerPhone · 2018. 5. 2. · Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Recertification Course Students are updated on the latest processes, techniques and guidelines

Course Catalog

Summer

2018

DISPATCH U COURSE CATALOGCALL FOR PRICING 800.537.6937

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Dispatch U Mission:

To empower PSAPs and Call Handlers with the techniques, knowledge and

expertise to provide exceptional 911 call handling.

We have the most up-to-date courses in the public safety call-handling

industry covering everything from new-hire training through certification,

recertification and continuing education.

What our students say:

“Great instructor who knows how to make an

impact, open minds, and educate students like no other!”

“This was a great learning experience in an online course

because it is affordable training that is critically important.”

“Well covered course! Instructor has excellent background & experience.

Nice job and made me think about my future response.”

Want to see an online course in action?

Visit our online course sample page to

demonstrate one of our lessons.

https://powerphone.com/online-course-sample/


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Table of Contents

Public Safety Telecommunicator Course ..................................................................................... 4

Total Response® Certification Courses ........................................................................................ 6

Total Response® Recertification Courses ..................................................................................... 7

* Certification and recertification courses are only available to Total Response Solution customers.

Continuing Education Courses ..................................................................................................... 8

911 Liability

911 Supervision

Active Shooting Response

Crisis Communications Training

Disasters and the Dispatcher

Domestic Violence Intervention

Homeland Security for Telecommunicators

Hostage Negotiations

Non-Emergency Call Handling

Protecting Law Enforcement Responders

Rewind

Sexual and Domestic Violence on College Campuses

Stress Identification & Management

The End of the Line: Your Role in Suicide Intervention

Continuing Education Subscription ............................................................................................ 11

Dispatch U Information .............................................................................................................. 14

The Total Response Solution provides the training, tools and processes necessary

to create a higher standard in 911 call handling.


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About Dispatch U

Dispatch U is our education portal providing training, certification and continuing education courses for 911

call handlers at every stage of their careers. We seek to raise call handling standards for Public Safety

Telecommunicators and to encourage the development of professional learning communities.

Dispatch U offers a wide range of courses matching public safety telecommunicator training needs. We

provide the best of online and traditional classroom-based learning allowing public safety professionals to

advance their careers while continuing to work and save lives.

Dispatch U Course Options

Dispatch U courses give dispatchers choice and control. For online and classroom trainings, bulk discounts or

combined purchase discounts may apply. The symbols above each course listing indicate classroom and online

course availability. They are displayed on each of the course listing pages:

Online Classroom

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40 credit hours

Public Safety Telecommunicator Course

Online

We offer the most up-to-date Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST) course in the industry providing all of the

foundational knowledge that 911 Call Handlers need to know.

This course provides students a full perspective of 911 call handling by offering the latest information on

emergency communications technology like NG911, Enhanced 911 and geolocation, as well as detailed

overviews of 911 history.

Easy Scheduling – Online, Any Time

Our Public Safety Telecommunicator course accommodates PSAP’s operational needs with the most

scheduling flexibility and easiest access in the industry. Our course benefits from over thirty years of

experience training 911 call handlers and is specifically designed to get students excited about careers as

public safety telecommunicators.

This course is perfect for public safety telecommunicators new to police, fire or emergency medical dispatch,

or to serve as an initial foundation for Total Response.

A Public Safety Telecommunicator course is often a new

hire’s first experience in the public safety industry –

We believe that experience should be outstanding!

For more information: https://powerphone.com/vocational-training/

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https://powerphone.com/vocational-training/


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Total Response® Certification Programs

Emergency Medical Dispatch * Fire Service Dispatch * Law Enforcement Dispatch * Call Assessment

Flexible Options

Total Response certification courses are provided online and in the classroom.

The online courses include separate content-specific classes to cover Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), Fire

Service Dispatch (FSD), Law Enforcement Dispatch (LED) or Call Assessment (CA).

Each online course also contains a practicum where a PowerPhone instructor actively evaluates students in

real-life scenarios through a web conference session.

To attain certification, all students are required to complete at least one certification class including the

Foundation Class and a practicum. Students certifying in multiple disciplines are only required to complete the

Foundation Class once. The certification course is graded as follows:

Final quiz = 50% of the grade Practicum = 50% of the grade

Online Practicum

The practicum is an instructor-led web conference providing students an opportunity to demonstrate the skills

learned in a certification course. Practicums involve a live summary of the call handling process and role

playing exercises where the instructor plays the role of a 911 caller and the student answers the call using

PowerPhone’s Total Response system.

The practicum ends with a single graded exercise and assessment where the instructor leads students through

realistic scenarios where they are expected to conduct the full call-handling process from start to finish

including: receiving the call, conducting the initial survey, establishing the appropriate chief complaint, asking

the primary questions, dispatching resources, asking secondary questions, giving pre-arrival instructions, and

relaying any important information to responders and closing the call when appropriate.

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Online Classroom

Total Response® Certification Courses


*Certification courses are only available to customers using the Total Response call handling solution.

Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Certification Course: $399/student (24 hours equivalent)

Teaches 911 call handlers how to get important information from callers prior to a medic’s arrival on

scene. The course also teaches call handlers about important life-saving call handling protocols and

how to best provide callers with pre-arrival instructions.

Fire Service Dispatch (FSD) Certification Course: $359/student (16 hours equivalent)

Emphasizes the call handler’s role answering fire rescue emergency calls including the appropriate

dispatch of human and physical resources to an incident. The course also improves communication and

includes lessons in fire department dispatch functions such as fires, hazardous materials incidents,

rescues, disaster response, and extrication situations.

Law Enforcement Dispatch (LED) Certification Course: $359/student (16 hours equivalent)

Emphasizes the call handler’s role handling calls related to law enforcement emergencies. The course

improves communications and dispatcher activities regarding law enforcement calls such as burglaries,

robberies, domestic violence, crisis interventions, and more.

Call Assessment (CA) Certification Course $329/student (8 hours equivalent) – available online only

Builds on students’ knowledge of maintaining a quality system, and provides the skills needed to

conduct call assessment reviews of call handlers. The information contained in this class serves as the

building block to success as a highly-trained call assessment reviewer.

Telecommunicator-CPR Certification (4 hours equivalent) – available online only

As part of an initiative to extend access in Telecommunication-CPR (T-CPR) training to all public safety

telecommunicators, our T-CPR course is available to students enrolled in Fire Service Dispatch and Law

Enforcement Dispatch as an optional component at no additional charge.

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Total Response Recertification Courses


All courses are $129 per student

Online

*Recertification courses are only available to customers using the Total Response call handling solution.

Recertification must take place every two years in the discipline(s) students have been certified in: Emergency

Medical Dispatch (EMD), Fire Service Dispatch (FSD), Law Enforcement Dispatch (LED), and Call Assessment

(CA). Students certified in multiple disciplines are only required to take the Foundation Class once.

Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Recertification Course

Students are updated on the latest processes, techniques and guidelines related to EMD, with an

emphasis on Total Response protocol review for medical emergencies, including stroke, cardiac arrest,

and breathing problems.

Fire Service Dispatch (FSD) Recertification Course

Examines some of the most critical situations in fire service dispatch, the basic principles that guide

firefighters across the country, and the crucial role of the dispatcher in communicating with both

callers and responders.

Law Enforcement Dispatch (LED) Recertification Course

Teaches critical topics in law enforcement dispatch including hostage negotiations, suicide

intervention, and protecting officers. Expands on the skills garnered from students’ original Total

Response LED course.

Call Assessment (CA) Recertification Course

Refreshes students’ knowledge of quality assurance principles and provides the skills needed to

conduct call handler reviews. The information contained in this class serves as the building block to

success as a highly-trained call assessor.

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Continuing Education Courses

All courses are $229 per student and 8 hours equivalent unless noted

Our continuing education courses cover current topics in emergency communications and public safety.

Continuing education courses provide the tools and techniques call takers need to maintain the highest

standard of care in 911 call handling.

Courses include:

911 Liability

Every emergency call creates a log and journal that are admissible in court. This acclaimed course

teaches public safety personnel how to shield themselves and their agencies from costly legal actions.

911 Supervision

911 supervisors have one of the toughest jobs in public safety. They have to manage the workings of a call

center and respond instantly to the first sign of trouble. This course helps build the skills and confidence

necessary to handle both day-to-day operations and critical situations.

Active Shooting Response

From college campuses to workplace violence and mall shootings, active shooters are a unique challenge for law

enforcement agencies – and not just for the officers who respond to the scene. In this course, students learn

about the mentality and motivations of the active shooter and build a solid knowledge base for

handling these incidents.

Crisis Communications Training *Classroom only – 8 hours – Pricing by contract only

Train communications personnel on the critical role they have as a communications operator in

providing customer service and responding as an operator to an agency-related or caller-based

crisis, and the procedures that should follow to better protect agency employees and callers.

Online Classroom

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Continuing Education Courses continued

All courses are $229 per student and 8 hours equivalent unless noted

Disasters and the Dispatcher

Many dispatchers are not fully prepared for a disaster to affect their community. This course arms students with

disaster response training for the lead up, duration and aftermath of a natural disaster. Students learn

the best pre-arrival survival instructions to use during the most intense calls they may ever experience.

Domestic Violence Intervention

Our best-selling Domestic Violence Intervention course equips telecommunicators with the latest

tactics for handling these incredibly volatile and complex incidents.

Homeland Security for Telecommunicators

Threats to national security are at an all-time high and America’s leaders have told citizens to serve as

the eyes and ears to help prevent terrorist attacks. When people think there’s the possibility of a

terrorist attack, they call 911. This course give telecommunicators the knowledge needed to handle

calls reporting potential terrorist incidents.

Hostage Negotiations

Learn about the latest techniques and tactics for defusing hostage situations. With workplace violence,

school violence and domestic disturbances increasing, calls involving hostage situations are on the rise.

If a call comes in from a hostage taker or a captive, it’s up to the call handler – literally the first person

on the scene – to act quickly and confidently to save lives.

Non-Emergency Call Handling

Explore how to handle non-emergency calls efficiently while maintaining professionalism. Whether it’s

911 or 311, your call center will receive non-emergency calls. How your call takers respond to citizens

is crucial to building a successful image for your agency. This class prepares students to respond

professionally to all types of calls while reinforcing and refining essential communication skills that

have proven effective in call centers around the world for over 30 years.

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Online Classroom


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Continuing Education Courses continued

Protecting Law Enforcement Responders With high-risk law enforcement calls on the rise and officer deaths up, focusing on officer safety has

never been more critical. 911 call handlers are a vital link in the emergency response chain serving as a

lifeline to responding officers. This course helps students gather the information needed to protect

responders during dangerous incidents.

Rewind *Classroom only – 8 hours

This course was developed to prevent or relieve many of the emotional pitfalls that filter into

the Communications Center. When problems are evident, it may lead to employee regression,

frustration, and sometimes depression. Left unattended, these factors impact performance and

wholesome human relations. This course empower students with techniques to help change

behavior before it’s “too late” for the individual worker and/or agency.

Sexual and Domestic Violence on College Campuses

This course trains public safety telecommunicators how best to handle 911 calls about sexual

and domestic violence, particularly from the vantage point of college campuses. By examining

the specific role that 911 call handlers play in calls involving domestic violence, sexual assault

and acquaintance rape, this course teaches PSAPs how to create a safer environment for both

domestic violence victims and for law enforcement responders dispatched to the scene.

Stress Identification & Management

Stress can lead to increased absenteeism, burnout and high job turnover. This course helps

students combat stress both inside and outside the communications center and improve their

overall quality of life.

The End of the Line: Your Role in Suicide Intervention

Suicide intervention is one of the most impactful interactions an emergency call handler can

have with a caller. This program focuses on suicidal calls from the dispatcher’s perspective and

answers the question of what to do when a suicidal call comes in.

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Online Classroom


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Continuing Education Subscription

Online

All classes are one CEU; Subscriptions last 12 months

1-9 Students 10-24 Students 25+ Students Accredited Site

$109 each $89 each $79 each $59 each

Our Continuing Education Subscription provides unlimited access to a selection of trainings featuring up-to-

date instruction on the biggest issues facing public safety telecommunicators. With twelve courses available at

all times, these courses keep PSAPs current on the most important issues in 911 call handling.

Each subscription class takes from thirty to ninety minutes to complete. The content reflects the informational

and training needs of 911 call handlers for EMD, FSD, LED and CA disciplines. Each course comes fully

developed with professionally narrated and animated slides, brainteasers, and printable certificates.

The following six courses are available from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018

Opioid Epidemic: Your Role in the Overdose Crisis

Outlines opioid overdose symptoms and the importance of naloxone, giving dispatchers the knowledge

to recognize overdoses and the ability to respond to calls reporting them.

Lone Wolf Attacks

Defines the lone wolf attacker, what makes them so dangerous, and how the dispatcher should

respond to calls that report lone wolf attacks, including bomb threats, explosions, and mass shootings.

Civil Unrest: Responding to Communities in Turmoil

Describes causes of civil unrest, emergencies callers might report during a riot, and vital information

the dispatcher should gather from callers reporting civil unrest events.

Entrapment by Rising Water

Discusses sources of rising water, the resulting loss of lives and property, and the dispatcher’s role

during these events.

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Continuing Education Subscription (continued)

Online

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Focuses on common causes of motor vehicle accidents and potential obstacles involved in the handling

of such calls.

Structure Fires

Identifies the types of structure fire calls dispatchers could receive, and the recommended steps to

follow in response to these calls.

The following six courses are available between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018:

Autism 911: Prepare for the Special Call

Preparing dispatchers for the challenge of dealing with callers who have special needs related to autism.

Cyber Threats to the Dispatch Center

Teaching dispatchers to recognize cyber-attacks and what to do when suspecting a PSAP is attacked.

Screening for Infectious Diseases: The Dispatcher’s Role

Providing the tools necessary to respond to infectious disease threats to maximize scene safety and best protect

your responders.

Declaration MCI: Responding to Mass Casualty Incidents

Outlining the dispatcher’s role during an MCI and aiding students to be part of a successful outcome.

Managing Anger in the Dispatch Center

Examining why dispatchers may experience anger, whether unprovoked or in response to a coworker

or caller, and discuss techniques to manage your anger and the anger of others.

Train Incidents

Discussing the specific questions dispatchers should ask a caller reporting a train incident, and the

steps that should be taken to ensure the safety of victims and responding personnel.

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Continuing Education Subscription (continued)

Online

The following six courses will be available between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019:

Aircraft Incidents

Preparing dispatchers for aircraft incident calls by explaining types of aircrafts, related incidents, details

that might be reported about the incident, pertinent information to gather, and vital questions to ask.

Allergies - Stings

Teaching dispatchers about emergencies caused by allergic reactions or stings. Explaining allergy and

sting types, relevant details that might be reported and are important to gather, and necessary

questions to ask.

Crimes in Progress

Instructional review of common crimes in progress, both property and violent, to help students identify

patterns amongst those crimes.

Kidnapping – Unlawful Custody

Familiarizing dispatchers with calls reporting kidnapping or unlawful custody by explaining different

caller parties who might report the emergency, details that might be reported, pertinent information

to gather, and vital questions to ask based on who is reporting the incident.

Outside Fires

Exploring the information-gathering process of an Outside Fire call for the different types of outside

fire calls dispatchers could receive, and teaching appropriate pre-arrival instructions to offer callers.

Young Stroke: A Dispatcher Resource

Identifying and defining stroke among those under 65 years of age (including teenagers) who are

experiencing stroke a greater frequency. Quick identification of young stroke incidents saves lives.

PowerPhone’s Continuing Education Subscription Program provides students with an opportunity to receive up to

18 hours of continuing education per year across a broad range of topics. Twelve courses are available at any

given time, with six new courses swapped in on January 1st and on July 1st of each year to ensure content remains

current and topical. When accessing Dispatch U to complete subscription courses, students will see an expiration

date against each course to assist them in planning which courses to complete within their subscription period.

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Dispatch U Information

Digital Badges

PowerPhone enables students to earn and share digital badges as proof of course completion. Badges may be

shared at the call handler’s discretion with employers, managers, professional organizations, or anyone.

Badges are issued for successfully completing a certification course. For more information, watch our video.

Course Policies

Online courses at Dispatch U allow students to adapt their course work to their own schedule and to take

classes any time.

An email account is necessary for registration in Dispatch U and enrollment into courses. Email may also be

required for communication with the instructor, other students, and for submitting written work.

Dispatch U courses are accessible for most PC and MacOS systems.

For technical issues related to the use of Dispatch U, contact [email protected].

Adobe PDF format may be used to distribute some files. The free Adobe Acrobat reader can be obtained from

Adobe’s site as shown below.

Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Use of Cookies and Plug-ins

Some pages of www.dispatchu.com use “cookies,” which are small files placed on your hard drive for

identification purposes. These files are used for site registration and customization. Cookies cannot read data

off your hard drive and PowerPhone, Inc. does not collect any personal information regarding your computer

system without your consent. By not accepting cookies, some pages may not fully function, and you may not

be able to access certain information on this site. To fully access all Dispatch U features, students should have

cookies enabled, as well as JavaScript enabled.

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https://youtu.be/KGrA-KgKTYs

mailto:[email protected]

http://get.adobe.com/reader/


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Dispatch U Information continued

Course completion deadlines are clearly specified in each course’s syllabus. Some courses have open

enrollment, but there are end dates for each course. Students will receive an automated email with a course’s

expiration date. If a student fails to complete the course on time, he or she must request an extension.

All assignments will receive a grade. Grades may include participation assessments, project completion grades

and quizzes. Courses provide grading directions to assist students, but final grades are subject to the

instructor’s discretion. For any grading questions, please contact [email protected].

Academic Integrity

Whether participants are enrolled in Dispatch U courses for employment or for personal development,

adherence to academic standards is expected. Written work, including but not limited to discussion postings,

essays, reflections, designs, and critiques should be a product of the participant’s efforts and not copied from

a colleague, Internet materials, books, journal articles, or other sources.

Behavior

PowerPhone’s Code of Conduct considers hateful or derogatory comments unacceptable. Students involved in

such behavior may be immediately removed from the course at the instructor’s discretion. This determination

is made on a case-by-case basis and PowerPhone reserves the right to change its policy.

Privacy Policies

We understand that many people enjoy some level of anonymity in online courses. Beyond your name and a

short background bio statement as an orientation exercise, you are not required to divulge anything that you

do not wish to divulge while taking a Dispatch U course.

Disclosure to Third Parties

All personal information collected on the PowerPhone website is considered confidential and is not disclosed

to third parties. PowerPhone adheres to all FERPA* requirements. Written and signed consent must be

obtained by the student before any student records can be released except to their administrator.

Dispatch U courses cannot be audited. Participation is an expectation in all courses.

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Dispatch U Information continued

Copyright and Academic Integrity Policies

Participants in Dispatch U courses retain copyright of all assignments and posts completed by that individual;

however, all materials may be used for educational purposes within the given course. In group projects, only

the portion of the work completed by that individual is copyrighted by that individual. PowerPhone, Inc. may

request that your materials be shared with future courses, but such sharing will only be done with your

consent. The information that you submit during a course may, however, be used for the purposes of

administrative data collection and research. No personal information is retained without the student’s

consent.

Everything on this site and within Dispatch U courses is copyrighted by PowerPhone, unless expressly stated

otherwise. The copyrights of all non-student work are owned by PowerPhone, except in cases where the

original creator retains copyright of the material. Copyrights to external links are owned and/or the

responsibility of those external sites. You are free to view and print material from this site as long as:

The material is used for information only.

The material is used for non-commercial purposes only.

Copies of any material include the respective copyright notice.

These materials may not be mirrored, de-privatized, or reproduced on non-PowerPhone websites without the

expressed written permission of PowerPhone, Inc.

*The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law

that protects the privacy of student education records.

For more information, email us at [email protected] or call us at 800.537.6937.

Visit our website at www.powerphone.com.

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DISPATCHU COURSE CATALOG - PowerPhone · 2018. 5. 2. · Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Recertification Course Students are updated on the latest processes, techniques and guidelines