Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards & Training

Basic Telecommunicator Certification Course

BT123 Syllabus

Part 1: Course Information

Instructor Information
Instructor: Jessica Dvorak
Office Hours: 1700-1800 Wednesdays after class
E-mail: jdvorak@pdx.edu

Course Description
Coursework and testing required to receive certification to perform call taking and
dispatching in Oregon at any primary or secondary PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point)
location.

Certification Requirements
 Successfully complete DPSST Basic Telecommunications Course (IRIS Training Tab)
 Successfully complete DPSST Basic telecommunications field training.  (IRIS Training
Tab)
 Have a signed Telecommunications Code of Ethics (F11T)  (IRIS Requirements
Tracking Tab)

Required Forms
 F7 Application for Certification
 F11T Telecommunications Code of Ethics
 F# Criminal History Worksheet (if necessary)
 F## Extension Request Form (if necessary)

Course Materials
 2021 Edition of Criminal Code of Oregon published by State of Oregon Legislative
Counsel. https://apps.oregon.gov/ECommerce/LCC/?category=CRIMCODE
 Technical Communication After the Social Justice Turn (ATTW Series in Technical and
Professional Communication) 1st Edition by Rebecca Walton (Author)
ISBN-13: 978-0367188474 - ISBN-10: 0367188473
 Rhetorical Work in Emergency Medical Services - Communicating in the
Unpredictable Workplace by Elizabeth L. Angeli

Page 1
 ISBN-13: 978-1138097445 ISBN-10: 1138097446
 DPSST Provided Workbook

Course Requirements
 Be employed as a telecommunicator at an agency identified by DPSST as having
telecommunicators. (IRIS Employment Tab)
 Have current First Aid/CPR Certification (can be submitted on an F6 Roster)  (IRIS
Requirements Tracking Tab)

Course Structure
The Basic Telecommunicator Certification Course at DPSST is an immersive education
experience designed to help students focus on learning the skills necessary to take calls,
dispatch responders, and provide equitable emergency response to the callers.

Students will spend 3 weeks at DPSST’s Basic Police Academy. They will be housed in the
dorms and stay on-site to build camaraderie and be afforded the opportunity to learn
without distraction.

In addition to traditional reading and writing based learning experiences, students will
also have the opportunity to participate in call taking scenarios, use the latest in
emergency communications technologies, and spend time in DPSST’s “village” where
they will learn what calls look like in person while mock scenarios are played out in a full
sized training ‘city’.

Part 2: Course Schedule

Week 1
Monday
0800-1000 Orientation
1000-1200 Problem Solving - Resource recognition.
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1700 Fitness and Nutrition
Tuesday
0800-0930 Ethics 1
- Ethical dilemmas in the immediate workplace.
Focus on criminal justice, social justice, and
personal and professional accountability.
0930-1200 Workplace Communication 1 – Oral
- How to convey empathy, take control, provide
comfort, and relay information using verbal skills
such as tone, inflection, and word choice.
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1600 Workplace Communication 2 – Written
- How to create accurate accounts, encourage

Page 2
 appropriate emergency response, and maintain
forensic fortitude in written transactions in
emergency situations. (Focus on word choice and
bias,
1600-1630 Reflective Paragraph
- A paragraph reflecting on what has been learned.
1630-1700 Final Project Introduction – Service Learning
- We will be working with EMS/FIRE personnel to
create a workplace document to guide
communicators in call taking for fire/medical
response.
Wednesday
0800-1000 Problem Solving - Resource Utilization
1000-1200 CAD Entries
- How to form, execute, and accomplish rhetorical
goals within emergency communication
applications.
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1500 Ethics 2
- Ethical dilemmas in call taking. Focus on criminal
justice, social justice, and personal accountability.
1500-1700 Public Relations
- Why public perception of police/fire/medical
matters and how you can personally impact public
perception.
Thursday
0800-1000 Ethics 3
- Ethical dilemmas in forensic writing, note taking,
and CAD entries. Focus on equity and equality in
the criminal justice system and the communicator’s
role in response outcome.
1000-1100 Behavioral Health – Communication and Mental Illness
1100-1200 Behavioral Health – Communication and Veteran
Awareness
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1400 Behavioral Health – Communication and Drug Induced
Persons
1400-1700 Intercultural Communication for Dispatchers 1
- How to bridge cultural gaps in verbal
communication.
Friday
0800-1000 Ethics 4
- Intercultural ethics in emergency response
communications.
1000-1200 EMS/FIRE Service Learning Opportunity
- Meeting with EMS/Fire Personnel to gain necessary
information to create workplace document.
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1400 Problem Solving – Trouble Shooting

Page 3
 1400-1600 Map Reading/Location
1600-1700 Enhanced 911

Week 2
Monday
0800-0900 Customer Service
- Providing service in emergency communications.
0900-1200 Crisis Communications
- How to recall your training, stay calm, provide fair
and equal treatment, and maintain professional
communication standards throughout crisis
incidents.
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1500 Law Enforcement Overview
1500-1700 Intercultural Communication for Dispatchers 2
- How to bridge cultural gaps in written
communication.
Tuesday
0800-1100 Toolkit for Building Resiliency
1100-1200 LUNCH
1200-1600 Criminal Law
1600-1630 Reflective Paragraph
- A paragraph reflecting on what has been learned.
1630-1700 Service Learning Project Open Studio
Wednesday
0800-1100 Call Handling 1
- Using skills and knowledge learned to maintain call
control, acquire necessary information for
appropriate emergency response, and focus on
reaching desired outcomes.
1100-1200 LUNCH
1200-1500 Call Handling 2
- Using skills and knowledge learned to maintain call
control, acquire necessary information for
appropriate emergency response, and focus on
reaching desired outcomes.
1500-1630 Radio Communication – Etiquette, rhetoric, response
outcome
1630-1700 Service Learning Open Studio
Thursday
0800-1200 Civil Rights and Equity
- The communicator’s role in providing equal access
to emergency response.
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1500 Courtroom Testimony
- The importance of communication and the role of
the communicator in courtroom processes and

Page 4
 judicial outcomes.
1500-1600 Emergency Communicator Technologies
1600-1700 EMS/FIRE Service Learning Opportunity
- Check in with EMS/Fire Personnel progress on
workplace document.
Friday
0800-1000 Documentation – Forensic Written Communication
1000-1200 Emergency Preparedness – Critical Incidents in Workplace
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1600 Stress First Aid
1600-1700 Service Learning Project Open Studio

Week 3
Monday
0800-1000 Orientation
1000-1200 Problem Solving
1200-1300 LUNCH
1300-1700 Fitness and Nutrition
Tuesday
0800-1100 Call Scenarios
- Group A Communicators/Group B Callers
1100-1200 LUNCH
1200-1600 Call Scenarios
- Group A Callers/Group B Communicators
1600-1700 Service Learning Project Open Studio
Wednesday
0800-1100 Call Scenarios
- Group A Callers/Group B Communicators
1100-1200 LUNCH
1200-1600 Call Scenarios
- Group A Communicators/Group B Callers
1600-1700 Service Learning Project Open Studio
Thursday
0800-1000 Service Learning Project – Present Projects to EMS/FIRE
Personnel Community Partners
1000-1130 Communicator’s Final Exam
1130-1230 LUNCH
1230-1430 Village Scenarios Pt 1
1430-1630 Village Scenarios Pt 2
1630-1700 Scenario Group Reflection Discussion
Friday
0700-0800 Dorm Checkout
0800-0830 Academy Closeout – Return Uniforms
0830-0900 Certification/Revocation
0900-1000 Graduation Ceremony

Page 5
Part 3: Final Exam
To pass the course and obtain certification each student must take an exam consisting of
multiple choice, true/false, and essay style questions to ascertain their comprehension of
course material. Students who receive a score of 85% or more will pass the course and
obtain certification. Students who score less then 85% will be required to retake the
course at a later time.

Part 4: Basic Telecommunicator Course Policies

Attend Class
Students are expected to attend all class sessions as listed on the course calendar. If a
student experiences an emergency which requires them to miss more than 1 hour of
class time they will be ejected from the course and will be required to re-apply for a Basic
Telecommunicator course at a future time when they can participate without distraction.

Participate
Students are expected to be physically and mentally present for all instruction. To receive
certification, they must participate in daily activities by engaging in discussions,
answering and asking questions, and completing course work.

Build Rapport
If you find that you have any trouble keeping up with assignments or other aspects of the
course, make sure you let your instructor know as early as possible. As you will find,
building rapport and effective relationships are key to becoming an effective professional.
Make sure that you are proactive in informing your instructor when difficulties arise
during the course so that they can help you find a solution.

Complete Assignments
All assignments for this course will be submitted to your course instructor. Assignments
must be submitted when due. Students who fail to turn in course work will be required to
re-apply for a Basic Telecommunicator course at a future time.

Late assignments will not be accepted.

Commit to Integrity
As a student in this course, and members of the first responder community, you are
expected to maintain high degrees of professionalism, commitment to learning and
integrity in your behavior in and out of the classroom.

Students who leave the campus after classes or on weekends are to be mindful that they
represent DPSST, as well as being representatives of their home agency.

Page 6
Honesty Policy
Dishonesty includes such things as cheating, inventing false information or citations,
plagiarism and helping someone else commit an act of academic dishonesty.

Students found to be engaging in dishonest activities or behaviors will be asked to leave

the training course, as well as banned from obtaining any form of DPSST certification for
the duration of their life.

Page 7