PST226 Assignments & Instructor Notes
Week 1: Welcome to the class
January 05, 2006 – January 15, 2006
Familiarize yourself with the structure of the course. Take this first week to find your way around - ask questions and socialize.
Discussion:
So that we all can get to know one another, tell us about yourself. Include as a minimum your name, your profession, years of experience and training in your profession, and also some “fun” facts about you (things you enjoy doing).
Week 2: Introduction
January 16, 2006 – Martin Luther King Day – College Closed
January 17, 2006 – January 22, 2006
Discussion:
Remember back to the first time you walked into a communications center. Were you overwhelmed? Excited? What did you see? What were your thoughts? Had you taken an EMD course prior to walking into the communications center? Were you already a telecommunicator? Did you receive additional training from a communications center trainer? Expound on your answers.
Instructor Notes: Week 2
Communication centers vary in different degrees depending on towns, cities, counties, states, etc. The center could have one console or many; be located in a jail, courthouse or other state-of-the-art facility; and the telecommunicator could also play many different types of roles other than telecommunicator, i.e. jailor, administrative assistant.
Week 3:
January 23, 2006 – January 29, 2006
Discussion:
What services does your communications center provide? Is the communications center solely for one department or many in your town, city, county, or state?
Instructor Notes: Week 3
You may work in a communications center that is past of an emergency response service, i.e. ambulance service, fire department, law enforcement, etc. You may only dispatch for one service or you could work for a county communications system, where there are many departments which you provide service.
Week 4:
January 30, 2006 – February 05, 2006
Discussion:
Obtain a copy of your communication center’s personnel policy/handbook and/or policy and procedures of the communication center. What is the date on it? Has it recently been revised? If you notice things that aren’t included, what would you include? Are some items assumed that aren’t in the handbook, i.e. should it be in writing or is it just “known?” Who updates the handbook? Are you eligible to provide input into revising the handbook?
Instructor Notes: Week 4
New employees of any organization should be eligible to receive a personnel policy/handbook. While reading the handbook is there something you noticed that concerned you or did you have any questions for your supervisor after you completed your review? Did you
Week 5:
February 06, 2006 – February 12, 2006
E-mail:
Who in your communications center handles misconduct with employees? Is it a supervisor/manager/director or possibly even a member of a communication center board – possibly even yourself? Have you ever had to deal with misconduct in your center and/or been privy to a dealing of misconduct which you were involved? Expound on your answer and how it was dealt.
Instructor Notes: Week 5
Unfortunately, some people, more than others deal with misconduct of an employee. Whether you are the employee charged with misconduct or the person who must handle the misconduct of an employee. Which side are you on? In some communications centers, you work closely with a group of people you may call family/friends – in cases of dealing with misconduct, it is often difficult to handle the misconduct of an employee when you are friends/family.
Week 6: MIDTERM
February 13, 2006 – February 19, 2006
The midterm written exam will address all the discussions up to this point in the semester. Students will be advised of the Midterm exam at the beginning of the week. Papers are due back to the instructor by 5:00 p.m. on the 19th. These can be sent electronically.
Week 7:
February 20, 2006 – February 26, 2006
E-mail:
What is your title in the communications center? What is your job description and who do you report to (who is your supervisor)? Do you have a copy of your job description? How often is it updated? Do you have any input into the revision of your job description? Do you have a Human Resources officer in your communications center?
Instructor Notes: Week 7
When hired at a new job, a new employee should receive a copy of their job description as well as their title at the top of the job description. Sometimes employees are requested to do additional duties that are not listed in their job descriptions.
Week 8:
February 27, 2006 – March 05, 2006
E-mail:
9-1-1 publications…..do you read any periodicals, newspapers, or books related to 9-1-1? Do these publications arrive at your home or work? Are there any articles of interest to you in these periodicals? Do you cut out these articles or flag them for other co-workers/employees? Locate an article of interest in a 9-1-1 magazine related to communications centers. Write a two (2) page synopsis of the article, double spaced. Also list in your paper, the periodical, newspaper, or book which is was found including the month/year of the publication.
Discussion:
Share with your fellow classmates the periodicals, newspapers, and/or books you read on a weekly/monthly basis regarding 9-1-1. Do these come to your home or work? Do you subscribe personally, or do you obtain from someone else?
Instructor Notes: Week 8
Have you read any articles lately? Do you have the time to read? Everyone should be able to take the time to catch up on the latest issues in other communications centers. The article could be pertaining to a communications center changing to ergonomic equipment for their telecommunicators, possibly even a new system they are beginning and the problems the center encountered.
Week 9:
March 06, 2006 – March 12, 2006
E-mail:
Does your communications center have a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing team? If not, is there a local hospital nearby that could provide such support in the event that CISD is needed? Have you ever gone through CISD or possibly even training to respond if your communications center needed you to do such in the event of a major tragedy? What type of employee programs are available to you at your communications center related to CISD?
Instructor Notes: Week 9
Everyday, somewhere, tragedies happen. Unfortunately, sometimes these tragedies occur with our own fellow public safety officials. Sometimes, the other person on the line is the telecommunicator – they may hear what is “going down” over the radio while requesting additional support. When tragedies occur, we react with our “gut” feeling and respond as we would to any other call.
Week 10:
March 13, 2006 – March 19, 2006
Discussion:
Most communication centers run on a calendar year or fiscal year for budgetary purposes? What type of calendar (month/year) does your communications center run on? Also, do you assist in preparing the budget for your communications center? When preparing for the new calendar/fiscal year, what steps must you take in order to prepare for such? How many sets of eyes review and approve the budget and other documents for the new calendar/fiscal year?
Instructor Notes: Week 10
Preparing for a new calendar/fiscal year can be both challenging and rewarding. Depending on your communications center and of course, chain of command, many persons could provide insight and approval into the preparation of the new calendar/fiscal year budget and other documents, i.e., supervisor/manager, Board of Directors, Town Council, Mayor, and/or State Governmental Officials. Money placed in a budget could even be from grant or congressional funding.
Week 11: Spring Break
March 20, 2006 – March 24, 2006
No classes – have a great week!
Week 12:
March 27, 2006 – April 02, 2006
Discussion:
What type of communications equipment and software is used in your communications center? What type of EMD is used and how long has it been used at your center? Does your communications center update equipment frequently? When was the last time your communications center obtained new equipment and/or software?
Instructor Notes: Week 12
Different communications centers use different types of communications equipment and software. What types of equipment and software does your communications center use?
Week 13:
April 03, 2006 – April 09, 2006
E-mail:
Legalities….Do you know who your attorney is for your communications center in the event they are needed? Have you ever had to testify in court due to mistakes in failure to respond to a citizen’s request during a call? Dispatchers are liable for what they say & do, therefore it is crucial that they follow the rules and regulations of the communication center and telecommunication techniques. What are some critical issues regarding legalities you would think communication centers would encounter?
Discussion:
Provide a listing of items that are very important to document for the communications center and telecommunicator in the event of a legal issue.
Instructor Notes: Week 13
It is very important to document telecommunications for possible legal issues. It is very important for the telecommunicator to follow communication center policies and procedures.
Week 14:
April 10, 2006 – April 16, 2006
The instructor will post a special assignment on the discussion board on the morning of April 10, 2006, for this week.
Week 15: FINALS
April 17, 2006 – April 23, 2006
The final written exam will address all of the discussions through the semester. The topic will be e-mailed to you at the beginning of the week. Papers are due back to the instructor by 5:00 p.m. on the 23rd. These can be sent electronically.