Certifed Alabama Public Safetv Telecommunicator-1

(1) General Purposes.

(a) This rule identifies the certification requirements necessary or applicable for the Alabama Public Safety Telecommunicator-1 (or ALPST-1) certification.

(b) The purpose of this rule is to specify the minimum training requirements to perform the duties of a public safety telecommunicator. It is not the intent of these rules and standards to restrict any District or jurisdiction from exceeding these requirements.

(c) The objective of this rule is to ensure that the certified PST coursework consists of specific knowledge and skill objectives adopted by the Board based on the National 911 Program's Recommended Minimum Training Guidelines that identify the minimum topics to be included in any telecommunicator training program.

(2) Enrollment.

(a) Prior to enrolling in public safety telecommunicator certification courses, PST Trainees shall meet the enrollment requirements as adopted by the affiliated agency's certification program or the Board.

(b) Individuals hired on or after July I, 2022 shall have 180 days from the implementation of the ALPST-1 certification program to be enrolled, but shall be allowed to perform the duties of a public safety telecommunicator without certification during completion of ALPST-1 certification.

(c) ALPST-1 Trainees shall complete ALPST-1 certification within 180 days of beginning coursework.

(d) The Board reserves the right to reject any application or reapplication for enrollment.

(3) Minimum Number of Training Hours. An ALPST-1 Trainee for this level of certification shall have completed 40 hours of training on the following Minimum Core Competency Topics:

  1. Introduction, Mission, Terminology
  2. Public Safety Team
  3. Ethics, Professionalism, Values, Personal Conduct, Image Policies, Procedures, Rules,
  4. Regulations
  5. Duties and Responsibilities
  6. Communities and Agencies Served
  7. Responder Safety

(b) Legal Concepts.

  1. Liability/Confidentiality/Negligence/Duty
  2. Law Enforcement Agencies
  3. Fire/Rescue Agencies
  4. EMS Agencies
  5. Public Safety Communications Agencies
  6. Documentation, FOIA Requirements, Recording, and Records Retention
  7. Privacy Laws

(c) Interpersonal Communications

  1. Communications Techniques
  2. Information Processing, Communication Cycle
  3. Problem Solving, Critical Thinking
  4. Customer Service
  5. Diversity/Demographics
  6. Non-Native-Language Callers
  7. Communications-Impaired Callers (individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities)

(d) Emergency Communications Technology

  1. Telephony Technologies (PBX/MLTSNoIP)
  2. Basic 9-1-1 and Enhanced 9-1-1
  3. ANI/ALI
  4. Wireless Phase I and Phase II
  5. NG9-1-l
  6. Text to 9-1-1
  7. TDDITTY/TRS
  8. Telematics
  9. Computerized Mapping/GIS
  10. Logging Recorders
  11. CAD Systems
  12. Mobile Data Systems, AVL, Paging, Alarms, etc.
  13. Call Transfers, Alternate and Default Routing, etc.
  14. Mass Notification
  15. Security Breaches, Cybersecurity Threats

(e) Call Processing

  1. Call Receiving
  2. Interviewing/Interrogation Techniques
  3. Controlling the Call
  4. Managing High-Risk Calls
  5. Managing Specialty Calls
  6. Call Categorization/Prioritization
  7. Event Categorization
  8. Homeland Security/Terrorism/WMD
  9. Aircraft/Rail Incidents/Marine
  10. Hazardous Materials Incidents
  11. Missing/Exploited/Trafficked Persons
  12. Fire Service Overview
  13. Fire Service Call Processing
  14. Fire Service Dispatching
  15. EMS Overview
  16. EMS Call Processing
  17. EMS Call Dispatching
  18. Structured Call-Taking Protocols and Standards Overview
  19. Law Enforcement Overview
  20. Law Enforcement Call Processing
  21. Law Enforcement Dispatching
  22. Responder-Initiated Calls
  23. Special-Needs Callers

(t) Emergency Management

  1. Introduction to ICS
  2. NIMS
  3. Emergency Management Roles and Responsibilities
  4. Disaster Preparedness
  5. Mutual-Aid/TERT

(g) Radio Communication

  1. Radio Communication Techniques (Rate of Speech, Common Language, etc.)
  2. Radio Technology (System Types, Coverage Area, Common Malfunctions, etc.)
  3. Procedures and Protocols
  4. Radio Discipline
  5. FCC Rules

(h) Stress Management

  1. Definition, Causation, Identification
  2. Strategies for Dealing with Stress
  3. Management of Critical Incident Stress

(i) Quality Assurance

  1. QA/QC/QI
  2. DOR/Skills Checklist/Performance Standards
  3. Identify Trends from QA to Address in Continuing Education/In-Service for QI
  4. Continuing Education Units (CEUs). A minimum of±4-ll_CEUs per 12-month period shall be mandatory to maintain PST-I certification.

Author: Leah Missildine/Alabama 911 Board

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§11-98-4.1.

History: New Rule published August 31, 2022; effective October 15, 2022. Amended: Published July 31. 2023: effective September 14. 2023.