Results - Topic: Training Trends & Tactics

9-1-1 Industry Alliance to Host National Workshop on 9-1-1 Overload

The 9-1-1 Industry Alliance (9IA) will host a national workshop on 9-1-1 overload on October 4-5, 2011, at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, D.C. Public safety decision-makers and government officials are being invited to engage in a national dialog on this important problem, which affects people in need of help due to incidents ranging from routine emergencies to major disasters.

9-1-1 Magazine New Portal for No Cost 9-1-1 Training Programs

In a time when 9-1-1 agencies are clamoring for more training with less money 9-1-1 Magazine is proud to announce that high quality 30 and 60 minute training programs produced by the Law Enforcement And Public Safety Network (LEAPS.TV) will be available without cost and without registration on the 9-1-1 Magazine video portal.

9-1-1 Reality Training Station

9-1-1 Reality Training Station was created by Sue Pivetta and a team of educators and simulation experts around the "realities" of lab and classroom training and learning. Following her passion for simulation as an effective adult learning experience, Sue and her team combined the ability to practice multitasking, call taking, radio dispatching with a wide array of learning and instructional tools.

9/11 A Decade Removed

I was asked by 9-1-1 Magazine Editor Randall Larson to express a few thoughts on the events of 9/11, and how we've changed, ten years later. I'd given the request quite a bit of thought; attempting to adequately describe where we stand today, a decade after the Twin Towers fell, appeared at first to be a fool's errand... like Shrek's life, 9/11 is really complicated, having dozens of 'layers,' depending on where you stood that day.

A Matter of Perception

Public Perception and the 9-1-1 Dispatcher

A New Twist in Community Emergency Response Teams: Citizens as "Immediate First Responders"

When a disaster occurs, the government becomes quickly over-burdened with requests to handle simple emergencies - emergencies that every one of us should be able to handle on your own... Neighborhood Preparedness Solutions has launched a complete and thorough online source of information dedicated to the Immediate Responders' individual efforts. The goal is to encourage participation throughout community neighborhoods as well as to gain the cooperation within local government.

Aurora, Colorado, 9-1-1 Center Honored as Outstanding Call Center

The E9-1-1 Institute, in conjunction with National Emergency Number Association (NENA), the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA), the 9-1-1 Industry Alliance ("9IA"), National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED), 9-1-1 For Kids, and the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, will present the City of Aurora Public Safety Communications Department of Aurora, Colorado with the Outstanding 9-1-1 Call Center...

Breaking Into Technology

University Medical Center Hospital of Southern Nevada (UMC)'s Public Safety is a diverse department with three divisions: Public Safety (security), Safety, and Patient Transportation. Public Safety and Transportation each have their own separate radio channels and dispatchers, located in different areas of the hospital. This article is about the Public Safety division.

Can You Teach Multi-Tasking?

Once Upon A Time I believed that as a trainer I could not teach someone multi-tasking. I believed that you were either born with this skill or you weren't. I believed this because I had trainees who couldn't talk and type at the same time, which was the least of what they would need to learn in the time we had to work with them.

Cubic to equip high-tech 'Tactical Village'

Cubic Corporation has reached an agreement to provide its advanced urban instrumentation system, including its Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), for a regional emergency and law enforcement training facility being built in the Chicago area. The contract marks first sale of sophisticated urban instrumentation to an academy for law enforcement and first responder training

Dr. Bill Munn Leads the Discussion on Next Generation 9-1-1

Dr. Bill Munn, a two-time president of NENA and former Executive Director of Tarrant County 9-1-1 is consolidating and streamlining access to the discussion on Next Generation 9-1-1 via a blog (http://dr911guy.wordpress.com/) and series of one hour, dial-in conversations on topics related to Next Generation 9-1-1.

Evaluations: Giving and Getting - A Waste of Time?

Without good evaluation systems your agency has no idea what is happening compared to what is supposed to happen with individuals, shifts and the entire agency. Good evaluation processes and forms provide responsible supervision and direction. Evaluations provide documentation of the agency's accountability to manage the center responsibly.

Free Fire/EMS Response to Civil Unrest Program for Election Year

Fire departments are getting more involved in and affected by civil unrest events. We can expect more of these as we move through an election year, and all agencies should be preparing for them. The Firefighters Support Foundation's (FSF) training program, Fire/EMS Response to Civil Unrest, is a free downloadable training resource for individuals, agencies, and trainers on this subject.

FSF provides free Fire Scene Communications training program

Fire Scene Communications is the newest free training program available from the Firefighters Support Foundation (FSF).

How Long Should Training Take?

There is a question I hear again and again and often see posted to the various 9-1-1-related newsgroups. Let's examine this question: how long should it take to train a public safety dispatcher?

Ick! I Hate Evaluations

How annoying can the evaluation process be? Think back to years of getting and giving evaluations. Are your memories fuzzy recollections of frustration, confusion, apathy, joy or resentment? Or do you recall them as an effective method of valued communications between you and an expert on how well you are keeping the promise of your work and adding to the overall agency goals of excellence?

Information Overload and the 9-1-1 Dispatcher

February, 2008 marked the 40th anniversary of the initiation of 9-1-1 service in the United States. In the four decades since that first call was made in Halleyville, Alabama much has changed.

Interceptor: An Affectionate Look Back at the Crown Vic

They were big. They were boxy. They drank fuel at a fantastic rate. They were cool. They were often the subject of coffee breaks and station get-togethers by police departments all over the country. If you wanted to start an instant debate among cops, begin a discussion of which police cars were faster - the Dodge, the Chevy, or the Ford Crown Victoria. Now it's time to say goodbye to the Crown Vic, the car most often associated with the words police car.

Internal Politics: Lessons Learned on The Pile

You've all seen the pictures on television, in newspapers, or in other media, all showing the devastation of what was once called the World Trade Center. What you haven't heard about was the relationship between the New York rescuers and the teams sent from throughout the country to help perform Search and Rescue operations at Ground Zero... What are some of the lessons we learned there, that we could make use of in our own agencies?

LEAPS TV offers Immigration Law Enforcement Program for PD training

Creative agencies share some alternative strategies for immigration law enforcement in this LEAPS.TV program. A no cost, 57-minute web program, Immigration Law Enforcement: Beyond 287(g) and Secure Communities is now available on LEAPS.TV.

LEAPS-TV: Suspicious Activity Reporting Line Officer Training

New from the Law Enforcement And Public Safety Network, the Suspicious Activity Reporting system is a tool in the fight against terrorism for all local, county, tribal, state, Federal and military law enforcement officers. A tuition-free, 19 minute, DOJ/BJA-sponsored program is available online now. At the end of the no cost program a test and certificate for 1/3 CEU are available...

LEAPS.TV offers video showcasing Nashville ECC's Smart911 system

Nashville Emergency Communications Center enhances the call taking process with citizen medical, personal and operational data while reducing call times. Learn how the Nashville ECC does it with their Smart911 program. A tuition-free, 45 minute program is available online now.

New Free Public Information Officer Program Available

The Firefighters Support Foundation’s newest free training program, Public Information Officer: Roles and Responsibilities, is now available. The program consists of a 35-minute video program and an accompanying 45-slide PowerPoint presentation about this not well-understood but vital function.

Notes from Navigator - 9-1-1 Lessons from Las Vegas

Maybe you look at Navigator as the place to learn a lot about emergency communication, the ability to pick up free advice from fellow professionals, and - at the conference held this past April in Las Vegas - the chance to walk away a millionaire. The National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) sponsored Navigator is all that and more. The six days traditionally divided between workshops and classroom sessions also leaves attendees with a lot to chew on for discussion when the next...

Pacific Interpreters Partners with First Contact 9-1-1 to Improve Language Access for 9-1-1 Call Centers

Pacific Interpreters, Inc., a leading provider of over-the-phone interpreting for Healthcare, Government, and Business Markets, has announced a strategic partnership with First Contact 9-1-1, a well-known supplier of high quality education and training programs to public service agencies, to improve language access for 9-1-1 Call Centers.

Photo Report: 2011 California Mobile Command Center Rally/Disaster Management Initiative

The California Emergency Management Agency, the California Fire Chiefs Association Communications Section, and the Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley Disaster Management Initiative held the 3rd Annual Mobile Communications/Command Center rally on May 22 and 23rd, 2011. This year’s event combined the Rally with CMU's Disaster Management Initiative for a greater opportunity for associated workshops and exercises. The event was held at the CMU Silicon Valley campus located within the...

Photo Story: 7th Annual Mobile Comm Vehicle Rally held in Virginia

The 7th Annual Command, Control, and Communications Vehicle Rally took place in Chantilly, Virginia, on June 17th at the Fairfax County Police Driver Training Track. More than fifty mobile command centers of all sizes from federal, state and local police and fire agencies displayed at the Rally, some brought in from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware...

PowerPhone and Verbal Judo Institute Announce Partnership to Bring Tactical Communications to 9-1-1

PowerPhone, Inc., a leading provider of 9-1-1 call handling training and technology, has jumped in the ring with an exclusive partnership with the Verbal Judo Institute to deliver a groundbreaking new continuing education course - Dispatch Judo: Verbal Defense & Influence for Emergency Communications. For the first time ever, the concepts of Verbal Judo, an internationally recognized method of defusing potentially violent situations, will be brought to emergency communications.

PowerPhone Names Gary S. Moore as Director of Training

PowerPhone, Inc., a leading provider of 9-1-1 emergency call handling systems, has announced the appointment of Gary S. Moore, Dr.P.H., as its Director of Training. Dr. Moore comes to PowerPhone from Judge Med, formerly the Training Education and Certification Centers for cardiovascular surgeons, where he served as the eLearning Director, delivering interactive, multimedia-rich online training programs to major pharmaceutical firms and medical manufacturers.

PSAPs: Introduction to Emotional Intelligence Workshop

911Lifeline, in partnership with Dr. Lora Reed, announces the first of a series of workshops on leadership and organizational behavior in the PSAP.

Quality Assurance: The Behavior Allowed Becomes the Standard

In the modern workplace employees have a desire to know why they are being required to do things and often resent the "old school" just-do-as-I-say approach to management. Policies and procedures need to be explained to and understood by everyone. Often times, if the reasons are clear and the consequences of their actions, and not for their actions are emphasized and understood the resulting compliance will be greater.

Quality Improvement through Education and Positive Reinforcement

All the quality assurance data in the world is virtually meaningless if it is not followed up with a strong quality improvement initiative. Gathering the information and generating reports are just part of the process.

Raytheon selects Downey (CA) for its Public Safety Regional Technology Center

Raytheon Company has selected Downey, Calif., as the location for its new Public Safety Regional Technology Center. The company is planning to open the facility in the next three months.Occupying 27,000 square feet and employing up to 150 people, the new center will serve as the focus of Raytheon’s civil communications business in the western United States and provide test and research facilities, training, and maintenance and logistics, customer and systems support.

School Bus Enhances CDP Mass Casualty Exercise

The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Alabama is known for its realistic, emergency response exercises. Responders attending the Hands-On Training for CBRNE Incidents (HOT-I) course will now have an added level of realism thanks to a school bus CDP recently added to the simulated mass casualty exercise for each class.

Terrorism Preparedness: PSAPs Get Ready for the Future

"We need to ask questions and get a good understanding of what the (situation) is," said Hollman. "Each caller is different, some may be aware of something unusual and some may be very hysterical. But the basics are still the where's and what's. That's what a dispatcher needs to find out."

The "Dumbing" of Dispatchers

One of the more common complaints heard around the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) concerns the "dumbing of dispatchers. This gripe typically comes from members with a little bit of time under their belts, and the propensity to wax poetic about the good old days.

The Hidden Hazards of Chemical Suicide

Police and firefighters in Aurora, Colorado responded to an apartment building after a report was made of the smell of rotten eggs in the area. The building was evacuated, and responders entered an apartment whose bathroom had been taped shut with duct tape. Signs warned of hazardous materials inside. A young woman's body was soon removed from the residence. Welcome to the new and terrifying world of chemical suicide. As a 9-1-1 dispatcher, it's important for you to know that this threat...

The House is Falling: Suffering the Consequences of Neglect

There is not just ONE problem that is easy to solve in the 9-1-1 industry. There are many areas in need of repair, here are some thoughts: It is NO mystery that the pay is at times inadequate. Inadequate to attract good candidates, inadequate to keep good employees, inadequate to enable workers to feel valued or heard. They (whoever they are) claim pay isn't what matters, just like other human services jobs such as counseling, caring for the mentally ill. True maybe - the pay IN ITSELF...

Training for Inconsistency

If you always strive to be consistent, you may be passing up opportunities to increase your trainees and your own success. Ironically, consistent achievement is not produced by consistent behaviors. In some situations, being consistent may be the worst advice you can follow. Consistency may have been more useful in the past when agencies had more simple work. With rapid changes and increased diversity, certain kinds of inconsistency have become virtues, not vices.

Trust... But Verify...

Using that old Ronald Reagan quote has a lot to say about address verification. Every once in a while, we see another bad outcome of a dispatcher or calltaker who sent responders to an incorrect address, an incorrect jurisdiction, or a location that did not exist. Why does this happen?

Where Are The 9-1-1 College Programs?

Are there great ideas to increase the pool of qualified or experienced candidates for 9-1-1 Jobs? YES! Have you thought about working with your local college?