Sec.28-30-7. Public safety telecommunicator and private safety telecommunicator training standards

Any individual requiring certification as a public safety telecommunicator or a private safety telecommunicator in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes subsection (c) of section 28-30 shall successfully complete a state-approved telecommunicator training program in which:

(a) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of interpersonal communications, to include:

(1) The forms of communication;

(2) The factors that influence and complicate communications;

(3) SMCR (Sender or Source, Message or Method, Channel, Receiver) concept of communications;

(4) Loop of understanding and feedback;

(5) Barriers to effective communications;

(6) Communication symbols and the social environment; and

(7) Stress Management.

(b) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the organization of the public or private safety communications function, to include:

(1) The organizational structure of police, fire and EMS public or private safety telecommunications centers;

(2) Interrelation of the communications unit with other functional units within the parent organization, with other departments and with the public; and

(3) Basic operational requirements of a public or private safety telecommunications system and the vital services provided.

(c) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of public or private safety telecommunications systems, to include:

(1) The components that make up a telecommunications system including, but not limited to, the use of repeater base stations, satellite receivers, voting comparators, mobile repeaters, mobile data terminals and control consoles;

(2) Commonly encountered malfunctions in radio telecommunications systems, the corrective actions that may be taken to re-establish communications and the ability to communicate the nature of malfunctions to a radio technician; and

(3) Electromagnetic spectrum and spectrum management by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

(d) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the basic fundamentals of public safety radio broadcasting.

(e) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate a proficiency in the basics of public safety radio broadcasting, to include:

(1) Effective transmission of information and descriptive data to field units or other public 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; and

(5) Correct procedures for broadcasting including the following: street address numbers, vehicle identification numbers, registration numbers, serial numbers or model numbers and descriptive data concerning persons, property and vehicles.

(f) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of public safety telecommunications record systems, to include:

(1) The various types of records that shall be maintained within a public safety telecommunications center including, but not limited to, status records, dispatch records, daily logs, daily bulletins, and supervisor's daily log;

(2) Records retention schedules; and

(3) Laws associated with the taping of telephone calls and radio transmissions.

(g) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of standard universally 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 for broadcast 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;

(6) Acknowledging calls from mobile units or other stations;

(7) Terminating calls;

(8) Use of alert tones; and

(9) The parts of a dispatch message.

(h) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate understanding of telephone techniques, to include:

(1) Basic principles for handling calls from the general public and calls from other emergency service agencies;

(2) General telephone techniques, including clarity of speech, avoidance of the use of jargon or slang, explanation of waits and telephone courtesy;

(3) Specific telephone techniques, including taking charge of the conversation when dealing with the public, personality projection, repetitive persistence, obtaining pertinent information, classifying the nature of a complaint or report, and following 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 non-English speaking persons;

(7) Dealing with calls involving violent crimes;

(8) Dealing with calls involving anonymous callers;

(9) 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 of undercover operatives;

(10) Procedures for overcoming the hysteria threshold of distraught callers; and

(11) The key questions that shall be asked of a caller reporting an incident (who, where, what, when and why).

(i) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the enhanced 9-1-1 emergency telephone system, to include:

(1) Components and functions of the enhanced 9-1-1 telephone system network and the dynamics of 9-1-1 call flow and address information transmission;

(2) Enhanced 9-1-1 features, including, but not limited to, automatic number identification (ANI), automatic location identification (ALI) and selective routing, as defined in Connecticut General Statutes section 28-25; and default routing, alternate routing, selective call transfer, fixed call transfer, manual call transfer, disaster routing, 9-1-1 data management system, and 9-1-1 printouts;

(3) Components and functions of enhanced 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 equipment malfunction; and

(6) Completion of inquiry forms.

(j) Using a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) the telecommunicator shall demonstrate a proficiency in the processing of requests for assistance from the deaf and the hearing impaired, to include:

(1) Effective usage of language conventions and abbreviations typically used by the deaf and hearing impaired; and

(2) Appropriate procedures for establishing communications with the deaf and hearing impaired.

(k) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the functions of a law enforcement agency and law enforcement dispatch procedures, to include:

(1) Roles of field personnel and objectives of a law enforcement agency;

(2) Working relationship between law enforcement field personnel and telecommunicators;

(3) Proper classification and processing of the basic types of law enforcement emergency calls utilizing telephone complaint and report processing procedures; and

(4) Application of appropriate procedures for the processing of calls for emergency assistance related to law enforcement, including pre-arrival instructions.

(l) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of the functions of a fire department and fire dispatch procedures, to include:

(1) Roles of field personnel and objectives of a fire and rescue operation agency;

(2) Working relationship between fire and rescue operation field personnel and telecommunicators;

(3) Proper classification and processing of the basic types of fire and rescue emergency calls utilizing telephone complaint and report processing procedures; and

(4) Application of appropriate procedures for the processing of calls for emergency assistance related to fire and rescue operations, including pre-arrival instructions.

(m) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of emergency medical dispatch procedures, to include:

(1) Proper classification and processing of the basic types of emergency medical service calls utilizing telephone complaint and report processing procedures; and

(2) Application of appropriate procedures for pre-arrival instructions pertaining to emergency medical service operations or emergency medical dispatch cards as contained in the current U.S. Department of Transportation - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Emergency Medical Dispatcher's Call Guides available through the U. S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590; and in accordance with the Standard Practice for Emergency Medical Dispatch ASTM Standard F1258-90, available from ASTM, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1187.

(n) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of public or private safety telecommunicator liability issues, to include:

(1) Liability issues associated with each phase of the dispatch function with a review of appropriate court cases;

(2) Local government tort liability as it applies to the dispatch function; and

(3) Liability protection offered by standard operating procedures and call guides.

(o) The telecommunicator shall demonstrate an understanding of hazardous materials awareness training consistent with ANSI/NFPA 472, Chapter 2, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents, available through the National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts 02269-9101.

(Adopted effective October 21, 1996)