National Resource Center
PROJECT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL PUBLIC-SAFETYTELECOMMUNICATOR TRAINING STANDARDS
National Survey
1. For the State of: New Mexico
a) Contact Person: Robert Gunter, 911 Program Manager
b) Name : DFA/LGD State of New Mexico
c) Address : Bataan Memorial Building, Room 201, Santa FE, NM 87503
d) Phone: (505) 827-4950
e) Fax: (505) 827-4948
2. Does your state have minimum Telecommunicator Training Standards?
a) YES
3. a. If the answer to question #2 is yes, are the standards;
- a) þMandated, oVoluntary, þLegislated Statute by Law oOther?
- b) Comments: Mandated for dispatchers only, not calltakers.
- c) b. When were the standards established? (date):Approximately 1985
- d) c. Have they been revised or modified? NO
- e) d. Are you satisfied with the current status of your state’sminimum training standards? NO
- f) Comments if answer is no : Call takers should beincluded, EMD Training should be mandated.
4. If the answer to question #2 is no, is your state considering, or in the processof establishing telecommunicator training standards?
a) When is implementation anticipated?
b) Comments:
5. Summarize the work plan and methodology used to accomplish the goal ofestablishing Minimum Telecommunicator Training Standards for your state:Unknown
6. How long did it take to establish state standards? Unknown
7. Was there any organized opposition?: YES
a) If yes explain how it was overcome or dealt with: Some communities were concerned aboutthe associated expenses.
8. What agency or regulatory board in your state is responsible foradministering state telecommunicator training standards? Department ofPublic-Safety.
9. How are telecommunicator training costs funded?
a) oTelephone Tax or Surcharge þState Budget Appropriation þLocalGovernment oOther The state pays for instructor and Training Center expenses. Local governmentmust pay other expenses.
10. (a) How much money is dedicated to training: $Unknown and how often?;
- a) oMonthly oQuarterly oSemi-Annually oAnnually
- b) Other:
- c) (b) Does your state also assess other providers such as,
- d) Cellular? Y N
- e) PCS? Y N
- f) Competitive Local Exchange Carriers? Y N
- g) Mobile Satellite Service? Y N
- h) If yes, and the legislation is separate from the telecommunicator traininglegislation, please attach a copy of that legislation.
11. Do your state standards include telecommunicator hiring or selectionstandards? YES
a) Comments: 1) Citizen of the United States, and have reached theage of majority. 2) Hold a high school diplomas or equivalent, 3) havenot been convicted of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitudeand submission of fingerprints to New Mexico and FBI. 4) Free of anyemotional, physical or mental condition which might adversely affectperformance.
12. List your State’s minimum telecommunicator training standards inorder to qualify for state certification. See legislation
13. Indicate what areas of public-safety communications are included inyour state certification program;
- a) oCall Takers Hours required
- b) þLaw-Enforcement Dispatcher Hours required 40. Hours
- c) þFire Dispatcher Hours required 40. Hours
- d) oEmergency Medical Dispatch Hours required
- e) oEmergency Medical Technician Hours required
- f) þOther (NCIC) Hours required 4. Hours
- g)
14. Does your state have differenttelecommunicator training standards for call-takers and dispatchers? YES
a) If yes please explain: No Standards for call takers
15. Within what time frame must a newtelecommunicator receive certification? Within one (1) year.
16. Are there any “Grandfather Clause”provisions? NO
a) If yes explain:
17. Does your state recognizetelecommunicator training certifications from other states? YES, but, mustre-certify within one (1) year.
18. Do your state telecommunicatortraining standards exempt any of the following:
- a) þPart-time Telecommunicators
- b) þFill-in Law-Enforcement,Firefighters, EMTs, etc.
- c) Comments :
19. Does your legislation contain any ofthe following provisions:
- a) þRequirement to administer and/orapprove examinations
- b) þCertify Telecommunicators on apermanent or temporary basis
- c) þEstablish requirements foraccreditation of telecommunicator training courses
- d) oEstablish requirements foraccreditation of telecommunicator training
- e) instructors
- f) oEstablish requirements foraccreditation of telecommunicator training schools
- g) oEstablish procedures and requirementsfor continuing education
- h) þEstablish procedures and requirementsfor recertification
- i) If yes, what are recertification requirements:
- j) oEstablish grounds for suspension or revocation of certificates
- k) oEstablish specific language or limits of liability for telecommunicators
20. What method/s are used to provide training;
- a) þLaw Enforcement Academy,
- b) oFire Academy,
- c) oEMS Board
- d) oUniversity or College
- e) oVocational Schools
- f) þThe APCO Institute 40 Hour Course
- g) oAccredited local government public-safety agency
- h) þOther Commercial Vendors
- i) oOther
21. What subjects and how many hours are required as part of theminimum training curriculum; A total of 76 hours of training in thefollowing areas.
- a) Subject Required Hours
- b) InterpersonalCommunications 0.
- c) Role of TheTelecommunicator 0.
- d) The CommunicationsFunction
- e) Telephone Techniques 0.
- f) 9-1-1 Operating Systems 0.
- g) Hearing Impaired Callers
- h) Handling Hysterical & SuicidalCallers
- i) Basic Radio BroadcastingTechniques 0.
- j) Law-EnforcementTerminology
- k) Fire Service Terminology
- l) EMS Terminology
- m) Emergency Call Processing Guidelines:
- n) Law Enforcement 0.
- o) Fire 0.
- p) EMS 0.
- q) Haz Mat Awareness 0.
- r) Record Keeping Systems 0.
- s) Telecommunicator Liability
- t) Fire/EMS Scene Safety
- u) Officer Survival
- v) Simulations 0.
- w) Please add any other subjects:
- x) Civil Law 0.
- y) Criminal Code 0.
- z) Stress Management 0.
- aa) Search & EMS 0.
- bb) NCIC/NMLETS 0.
- cc)
22. Do your training standards contain a requirement for the establishmentof Emergency Medical Dispatch Pre-Arrival Instruction Program? YES
23. Do requirements for state certification contain any other provisionssuch as minimum education, minimum age, minimum typing skills, ride alongprograms, etc., NO
a) If yes, please explain:
24. If a test is required for certification what percentage or scoreconstitutes a passing grade? Unknown
25. Does your state offer provisional certification? NO,
a) If Yes, how does someone qualify for provisional status?
26. How long after passage of legislation, did agencies have to be incompliance with the telecommunicator training requirements?: Unknown
27. Does your Minimum State Telecommunicator Training Programprovide college credit? NO