§ 120c.106. Emergency dispatcher certification.
(a) Roles and responsibilities. An emergency dispatcher is responsible for taking the information gathered by a call taker, determining the appropriate response to the situation and dispatching the available emergency fire, police, ambulance, emergency management or other resources needed to deal with the emergency situation.
(b) Certification.
(1) The Agency will certify as an emergency dispatcher, either for fire, police, ambulance or emergency management services, 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 the requirements prescribed by the Agency to be a call taker.
(iv) Has successfully completed an emergency dispatcher fire, police, ambulance or emergency management training course prescribed by the Agency.
(v) Has passed a written examination prescribed by the Agency for either emergency dispatcher fire, police, ambulance or emergency management.
(vi) Has passed a practical test of emergency dispatcher skills for fire, police, ambulance or emergency management prescribed by the Agency.
(2) An emergency dispatcher’s certification is valid for 3 years from the date the certification was issued by the Agency. To maintain certification as an emergency dispatcher, an individual shall comply with the recertification requirements in subsection (d).
(c) Training course content and length.
(1) A dispatcher fire shall receive a minimum of 120 hours of classroom and hands on instruction. Training courses shall consist of the following items: Completion of all call taker training requirements (104 hours) plus 16 hours of fire safety issues, fire terminology, fire dispatching protocols, 911 center record requirements, fire dispatching incident specifics and other material considered necessary by the instructor and which has been approved by the Agency.
(2) A dispatcher police shall receive a minimum of 136 hours of classroom and hands-on instruction. Training courses shall consist of one of the following items: completion of all call taker training requirements (104 hours) plus 32 hours of police safety issues, policy terminology, police dispatching protocols, 911 center requirements, NCIC/clean orientation, police dispatching incident specifics and other material considered necessary by the instructor and which has been approved by the Agency.
(3) A dispatcher ambulance or emergency medical service (EMS) shall receive a minimum of 120 hours of classroom and hands on instruction. Training courses shall consist of the following items: completion of all call taker training requirements (104 hours) plus 16 hours of EMS safety issues, EMS terminology, EMS dispatching protocols, emergency medical dispatch, 911 center record requirements, EMS dispatching incident specifics and other material considered necessary by the instructor and which has been approved by the Agency.
(4) A dispatcher emergency management (EMA) shall receive a minimum of 120 hours of classroom and hands on instruction. Training courses shall consist of the following items: completion of all call taker training requirements (104 hours) plus 16 hours of EMA safety issues, EMA terminology, EMA dispatching protocols, 911 center record requirements, EMA dispatching incident specifics and other material considered necessary by the instructor and which has been approved by the Agency.
(d) Recertification. An emergency dispatcher shall apply for recertification between 6 months and 60 days prior to expiration of the emergency dispatcher’s certification from the Agency. An emergency dispatcher’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 an emergency dispatcher an individual who meets the following qualifications:
(1) Completes an application on a form supplied by the Agency.
(2) Is or was previously certified as an emergency dispatcher by the Agency.
(3) Successfully passes an emergency dispatcher written examination prescribed by the Agency.
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