Training and Staffing

E 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center staff are highly trained telecommunications professionals. Additionally, each telecommunicator has passed an extensive background investigation prior to coming to work at the E 9-1-1 Department.

New telecommunicators are required to successfully complete a rigorous training/certification program.

The E 9-1-1 Department has one full time and one part-time trainer on staff. The trainer's responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Training new staff
• Providing continuing education training for staff
• Developing new training programs
• Revising existing training programs
• Coordination with trainers from outside agencies
• Training/certification records management

All telecommunicators are required to attain and maintain several levels of certification. The E 9-1-1 Department's training program includes: communications theory, terminology, policies and procedures, CPR, critical incident stress management, emergency medical dispatch, suicide prevention, county geography, mental health issues, poison control, penal law, call simulations, law enforcement computer systems, terminology, etc. Additionally, all telecommunicators are required to participate in ride-along familiarization training with each type of user agency. The ride-along training program is repeated annually to ensure that the telecommunicator maintains an understanding of the experiences our user agencies encounter in the field.