State of Connecticut Regulation of Department of Public Safety EmergencyTelecommunicator Training & Certification
Section 1. Sections 28-30-1 to 28-30-3 of the Regulations of ConnecticutState agencies are amended to read as follows:
Sec. 28-30-1. Public safety Telecommunicator instructor certificationdefinitions
Those definitions set forth in C.G.S. Sec. 28-25 and C.G.S. Sec. 28-30shall govern the provisions of these regulations, in addition to the following:
Functional Areas. Functional areas of emergency telecommunications shallinclude but not be limited to the following:
1. Interpersonal Communications [2. Telecommunications History] [3. TelecommunicatorRole in Public Safety] [4.] 2. Organization of the Communications FunctionAND THE TELECOMMUNICATOR ROLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY [5. Overview of the PoliceFunction] [6. Overview of the Fire Function] [7. Overview of the EMS/RescueFunction] [8.] 3. Public Safety Telecommunications Systems [9.] 4. Basicsof Radio Broadcasting [10. Police, Fire, EMS Records Systems 5. PublicSafety Telecommunication Record Systems [11.] 6. Broadcast Rules and Procedures[12.] 7. Telephone Techniques [13.] 8. Enhanced 9-1-1 Systems and OperatingProcedures [14. Local, State and National Crime Information Computer Systems][15.] 9. OVERVIEW OF THE POLICE FUNCTION & Telephone Complaint/ReportProcessing Procedures [-Police] [16.] 10. OVERVIEW OF THE FIRE FUNCTION& Telephone Complaint/Report Processing Procedures [-Fire and Rescue][17.] 11. [Telephone Complaint/Report Processing Procedures – EMS] OVERVIEWOF THE EMS FUNCTION & EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH AND PRE-ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS[18. Stress Management] [19.] 12. Telecommunicator Legal Issues 13. HazardousMaterials Awareness
Sec. 28-30-2 Requirements for public safety telecommunicator instructorcertification
(a) Persons Required to Hold Certificates. Any persons holding the positionof public safety telecommunicator instructor in Connecticut shall holda valid certificate for such position.
(b) Application Procedures. Applications for public safety telecommunicatorinstructor certification shall be on forms furnished by, and filed withthe [Bureau] OFFICE of Statewide Emergency Telecommunication, [20 GrandStreet, Hartford, CT 06106] P.O. BOX 2794, 1111 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD, MIDDLETOWN, CT 06457-9294.
(c) Documents Required of Applicants. To apply for certification asa public safety telecommunicator instructor, an application shall submitthe following documents to the Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunicationsat the address listed in section (b) above:
(1) A completed application form ([obtained] AVAILABLE from the Officeof Statewide Emergency Telecommunications).
(2) Written documentation of the applicant’s telecommunications, communication,and/or public safety work experience.
Sec. 28-30-3. Types of certificates and requirements
Two types of public safety telecommunicator instructor certificatesare issued by the Office: Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor LevelI and Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor Level II. THE PUBLIC SAFETYTELECOMMUNICATOR INSTRUCTOR LEVEL I CERTIFICATE SHALL BE VALID FOR A PERIODOF ONE YEAR. THE PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR INSTRUCTOR LEVEL II CERTIFICATESHALL BE VALID FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS. An applicant who has met theminimum requirements shall be entitled to receive one of the followingcertificates[.]:
(a) Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor – Level I. To receivea Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor Level I certificate, an applicantshall present evidence of meeting the following minimum requirements:
(1) A High School Diploma or equivalent or a waiver of such requirementBASED UPON EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING, By the [Bureau] OFFICE [.];
(2) Evidence of successful completion of a Teaching or Instructors MethodsCourse or its equivalent as approved by the [Bureau] OFFICE [.]; AND
(3) No less than two (2) years experience in emergency telecommunicationsor an area of telecommunications/communications which has a direct bearingon emergency telecommunications principles or practices. Specialized oradvanced training in a functional area of telecommunications/communicationsmay be substituted for experience on the basis of fifteen (15) collegesemester hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximumof one (1) year.
[(4)] The Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor Level I certificateshall be valid for one year.]
(b) Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor – Level II. To receivea Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor Level II certificate, an applicantshall present evidence of meeting the following minimum requirements:
(1) A High School Diploma or equivalent or a waiver of such a requirementBASED UPON EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING by the [Bureau] OFFICE [based upon experienceor training.]; AND
(2) Evidence of successful completion of a Teaching or Instructors MethodsCourse or its equivalent as approved by the [Bureau] OFFICE[.]; AND
(3) No less than five (5) years of experience in a public safety (lawenforcement, fire fighting, emergency medical service, or emergency telecommunications)capacity, of which no less than two (2) years of experience shall be inemergency telecommunications. Experience in emergency telecommunicationsis defined as having primary responsibility for emergency telecommunicationsoperations, or emergency telecommunications training; or performance ofthe duties of a telecommunicator [as defined by Public Act 89-259], oras a public safety emergency communication center supervisor, or chiefdispatcher, and at least one (1) year of experience in a training capacity(training officer or instructor). Experience requirements may be fulfilledwith equivalent part time experience.
[(4) The Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor Level II shall bevalid for three years.]
Section 2. The Regulations of the Connecticut State Agencies are amendedby adding sections 28-30-4 to 28-30-11, inclusive, as follows:
(NEW) Section 28-30-4. Re-Certification of Public Safety TelecommunicatorInstructors
Certified Level I or II Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructors shallapply to the Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications of the Departmentof Public safety for recertification thirty (30) days prior to the expirationof their current certification term.
(NEW) Section 28-30-5. Training and Certification of Public Safety Telecommunicatorsand Private Safety Telecommunicators
Sections 28-30-5 to 28-30-11, inclusive, of these regulations set forththe requirements for training and certification of public safety telecommunicatorsand private safety telecommunicators.
(NEW) Section 28-30-6. Telecommunicator Training and Certification Definitions
As used in sections 28-30-5 to 28-30-11 inclusive, of these regulations:
(a) “Certificate of completion” means certification issuedby the Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications of the Departmentof Public Safety to a public safety telecommunicator or private safetytelecommunicator upon the successful completion of a state approved telecommunicatortraining program and the receipt of a passing grade on the state telecommunicatorexam.
(b) “Enhanced 9-1-1 telephone system” means a system consistingof enhanced 9-1-1 telephone network features and public safety answeringpoints equipped with enhanced 9-1-1 terminal equipment, provided for usersof the public telephone system to reach a public safety answering pointsby dialing the digits “9-1-1”. Such a system directs 9-1-1 callsto appropriate public safety answering points by selective routing basedon the geographical location from which the call originated and providesthe capability for automatic number identification and automatic locationidentification features.
(c) “Successful completion of a state authorized Telecommunicatortraining program” means submission of evidence of participation ina telecommunicator training program which is in conformance with section28-30-8 of this regulation.
(NEW) Section 28-30-7. Employment and Certification Status
(a) Any individual seeking certification that is currently employedas a public safety telecommunicator or private safety telecommunicatorwill be certified by the Office upon successful completion of a state approvedtelecommunicator training program and the successful completion of a probationarywork period as verified by the agency having jurisdiction.
(b) Any individual not currently employed as a public safety telecommunicatoror private safety telecommunicator shall be certified by the Office uponhis or her appointment as a public safety telecommunicator or private safetytelecommunicator up to three (3) years after successfully completing astate approved telecommunicator training program.
(NEW) Section 28-30-8. Public Safety Telecommunicator and Public SafetyTelecommunicator Training Standards
Any individual requiring certification as a public safety telecommunicatoror a public safety telecommunicator in accordance with Connecticut GeneralStatutes section 28-30-(c) shall successfully complete a state approvedtelecommunicator training program in which:
(a) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding in interpersonalcommunications, to include:
(1) The forms of communication (2) The factors that influence and complicatecommunications (3) SMCR (Sender/Source, Message/Method, Channel, Receiver) concept of communications (4) Loop of understanding (5) Barriers to effectivecommunications (6) Communication symbols and the social environment (7) StressManagement
(b) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the organizationof the public/private safety communications function, to include:
(1) The organizational structure of police, fire and EMS public/privatesafety telecommunications centers
(2) Interrelation of the communications unit with other functional unitswithin the parent organization, with other departments and the public
(3) Basic operational requirements of a public/private safety telecommunicationssystem and the vital services provided
(c) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of public/privatesafety telecommunications system, to include:
(1) The components that make up a public-private safety telecommunicationssystem including, but not limited to, the use of repeater base stations,satellite receivers, voting comparators, mobile repeaters, mobile dataterminals and control consoles
(2) Commonly encountered malfunctions in a public/private safety radiotelecommunications system, the corrective actions that may be taken tore-establish communications and the ability to communicate the nature ofmalfunctions to a radio technician
(3) Electromagnetic spectrum and spectrum management by the FederalCommunications Commission (FCC)
(4) Trunked radio systems
(d) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the basicfundamentals of public safety radio broadcasting
(e) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate a proficiency in of the basicsof public safety radio broadcasting, to include:
(1) Effective transmission of information and/or descriptive data tofield units or other public and/or private safety agencies
(2) Theory and use of radio signal codes
(3) Use of aural brevity codes and the phonic alphabet
(4) Use of 2400 hour time in broadcasting
(5) Correct procedures for broadcasting; street address numbers, vehicleidentification numbers, registration numbers, serial numbers and/or modelnumbers and descriptive data concerning persons, property and vehicles
(f) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of publicsafety telecommunications record systems, to include:
(1) The various types of records that shall be maintained within a publicsafety telecommunication center including but not limited to; status records,dispatch records, daily logs, daily bulletins, and supervisor’s daily log
(2) Records retention schedules
(3) Laws associated with the taping of telephone calls and radio transmissions
(g) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of standarduniversally accepted broadcast rules and procedures, to include:
(1) The need for standardization of broadcast procedures
(2) Technique for choosing appropriate words and rate of speech forbroadcast messages
(3) Logical sequencing of information, echo procedures, impersonal dispatching,concept of never guessing the content of written messages, and courtesy
(4) Styles of call-up procedure
(5) Clipping
(5) Acknowledge calls from mobile units or other stations
(6) Terminating calls
(7) Use of alert tones
(8) The parts of a dispatch message
(h) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate understanding of telephonetechniques, to include:
(1) Basic principles for handling calls from the general public andcalls from other emergency service agencies
(2) General telephone techniques, including clarity of speech, avoidanceof the use of jargon/slang, explanation of waits and telephone courtesy
(3) Specific telephone techniques, including taking charge of the conversationwhen dealing with public, personality projection, repetitive persistence,obtaining pertinent information, classifying the nature of a complaintor report, and follow through on information obtained
(4) Procedures for handling multiple calls
(5) Dealing with third party callers
(6) Dealing with calls from children, the elderly, and foreign speakingpersons
(7) Dealing with calls involving violent crimes in progress and anonymouscallers
(8) Correct procedures for taking and recording telephone messages,including general message taking, dealing with confidential informants,procedures for relaying routine and urgent messages, and radio paging ofundercover operatives
(9) The hysteria threshold
(10) The key questions that shall be asked of a caller reporting anincident (who, where, what, when and why)
(I) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the enhanced9-1-1 emergency telephone system, to include:
(1) Components and functions of the enhanced 9-1-1 telephone systemnetwork and the dynamics of 9-1-1 call flow and address information transmission
(2) Enhanced 9-1-1 features, including, but not limited to, automaticnumber identification (ANI), automatic location identification (ALI) andselective routing, as defined in Connecticut General Statutes section 28-25;and default routing, alternate routing, selective call transfer, fixedcall transfer, manual call transfer, disaster routing, 9-1-1 data managementsystem, and 9-1-1 printouts
(3) Components and functions of public/private safety answering pointenhanced 9-1-1 terminal equipment
(4) Types of automatic location identification and trouble displays
(5) Recognizing and reacting to conditions of 9-1-1 failure or equipmentmalfunction
(6) Completion of inquiry forms
(j) Given a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) the telecommunicatorshall demonstrate a proficiency in the processing of requests for assistancefrom the deaf and the hearing impaired, to include:
(1) Effective usage of language conventions and abbreviations typicallyused by the deaf and hearing impaired
(2) Appropriate procedures for establishing communications with thedeaf and hearing impaired
(k) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the functionsof a law enforcement agency and law enforcement dispatch procedures, toinclude:
(1) Roles of field personnel and objectives of a law enforcement agency
(2) Working relationship between law enforcement field personnel andtelecommunications
(3) Proper classification and processing the basic types of law enforcementemergency calls utilizing telephone complaint/report processing procedures
(4) Application of appropriate procedures for the processing of callsfor emergency assistance related to law enforcement
(l) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the functionsof a fire department and fire dispatch procedures, to include:
(1) Roles of field personnel and objectives of a fire and rescue operationagency
(2) Working relationship between fire and rescue operation field personneland telecommunicators
(3) Proper classification and processing the basic types of fire andrescue emergency calls utilizing telephone complaint/report processingprocedures
(4) Application of appropriate procedures for the processing of callsfor emergency assistance related to fire and rescue operations
(m) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of emergencymedical dispatch procedures, to include:
(1) Proper classification and processing the basic types of emergencymedical service calls utilizing telephone complaint/report processing procedures
(2) Application of appropriate procedures for pre-arrival instructionspertaining to emergency medical service operation/emergency medical dispatchcards as listed in this section and as contained in the current U.S. Departmentof Transportation – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration EmergencyMedical Dispatcher’s Call Guides available through the Department of PublicSafety, office of statewide emergency telecommunications; and in accordancewith the Standard Practice for Emergency Medical Dispatch ASTM StandardASTM Standard F1258-90, available through the department of public safety,office of statewide emergency telecommunications
(n) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of public/privatesafety telecommunicator liability issues, to include:
(1) Liability issues associated with each phase of the dispatch functionwith a review of appropriate court cases
(2) Local government tort liability as it applies to the dispatch function
(3) Liability protection offered by standard operating procedures andcall guides
(o) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of hazardousmaterials awareness training consistent with ANSI/NFPA 472, Chapter 2,Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous MaterialsIncidents, available through the department of public safety, office ofstatewide emergency telecommunications
(NEW) Section 28-30-9. Repeat Examinations
(a) Any individual who fails to achieve a passing grade on the writtenexamination may retake the examination after a waiting period of thirty(30) days.
(b) Any individual who fails to achieve a passing grade on the writtenexamination after three attempts may be required to repeat his or her attendanceat sections of the training program, as determined by the department ofpublic safety, office of statewide emergency telecommunications, priorto taking the examination again.
(NEW) Section 28-30-10. Non-State delivered public safety telecommunicatorand private safety telecommunicator training programs
(a) Any non-state delivered telecommunicator training program presentedto individuals seeking certification as public safety telecommunicatorsor private safety telecommunicators, shall prepare the telecommunicatorto adequately meet the standards set forth in section 28-30-8 of theseregulations.
(b) The department of public safety, office of statewide emergency telecommunicationsshall determine if non-state delivered telecommunicator training programsmeet the requirements of section 28-30-8 of these regulations and may requirecomplete documentation of any non-state delivered program seeking approval.Upon its determination that a non-state delivered program meets the requirementsof section 28-30-8, the office of statewide emergency telecommunicationsshall issue an approval of such program. The state may audit non-statedelivered programs.
(c) Certification of public safety telecommunicators or private safetytelecommunicators enrolled in non-state delivered telecommunicator trainingprograms is contingent upon presentation of evidence of successful completionof state authorized public/private safety telecommunicator training program.
(d) Any non-state delivered public safety telecommunicator trainingprogram seeking certification from the state shall utilize state certifiedinstructors as defined under section 28-30-2.
(NEW) Section 28-30-11. Maintaining Certification
(a) All certified public safety telecommunicators or private safetytelecommunicators, except those automatically certified under the provisionsof Connecticut General Statutes section 28-30 (f), shall renew their certificationevery five (5) years.
(b) The department of public safety, office of statewide emergency telecommunicationsshall renew the certification of public safety telecommunicators or privatesafety telecommunicators who has performed the duties for which certificationwas granted, has maintained minimum skills and documents employment ingood standing as a public safety Telecommunicator or private safety telecommunicatorfor no less than four (4) years over the five (5) year period.
(c) Public safety telecommunicators and private safety telecommunicatorsseeking renewal of certification shall submit documented proof of employmentin good standing to the department of public safety, office of statewideemergency telecommunications, 1111 Country Club Road, P.O. Box 2794, Middletown,Connecticut 06457-9294, one (1) month prior to the expiration of theircurrent certification.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To adopt regulations for training programs forthe certification of public safety telecommunicators and private safetytelecommunicators in compliance with Connecticut General Statutes section28-30 (h) and to make technical amendments to the regulations for publictelecommunicator instructors.