§ 120c.105. Call taker certification.
(a) Roles and responsibilities. A call taker is responsible for taking all calls made by the general public to a 911 emergency communications center and for gathering all essential information from the caller to determine whether or not emergency response services need to be provided to the location or incident described by the caller.
(b) Certification.
(1) The Agency will certify as a call taker an individual who meets the following qualifications:
(i) Completes an application form supplied by the Agency.
(ii) Is 18 years of age or older.
(iii) Has successfully completed a call taker training course approved by the Agency.
(iv) Has passed a written examination prescribed by the Agency.
(v) Has passed a practical test of call taker skills prescribed by the Agency.
(2) A call taker’s certification is valid for 3 years from the date the certification was issued by the Agency. To maintain certification as a call taker, an individual shall comply with the recertification requirements in subsection (d).
(c) Training course content and length. Each call taker shall receive a minimum of 104 hours of classroom and hands on instruction. Training courses shall consist of the following items:
(1) Telephone techniques.
(2) Crisis call taking.
(3) Incident specific information.
(4) Interrogation skills.
(5) Prioritization of calls.
(6) Non-English speaking calls.
(7) Text telephone for the deaf.
(8) Hearing and speech impaired (TTY).
(9) Abandoned 911 calls.
(10) Silent 911 calls.
(11) Roles and responsibilities of the call taker.
(12) Interpersonal skills and stress management.
(13) 911 center terminology.
(14) Verification skills.
(15) Use of 911 center equipment.
(16) 911 center documentation skills.
(17) Geography of 911 center service area.
(18) Other material considered necessary by the instructor which has been approved by the Agency.
(d) Recertification. A call taker shall apply for recertification between 6 months and 60 days prior to expiration of the call taker’s certification from the Agency. A call taker’s failure to apply for recertification in a timely manner may result in the individual not being recertified before the prior certification expires. The Agency will recertify as a call taker an individual who meets the following qualifications:
(1) Completes an application form supplied by the Agency.
(2) Is or was previously certified as a call taker by the Agency.
(3) Successfully passes a call taker written examination prescribed by the Agency.
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