Public Safety Communications

A.A.S. DEGREE

Description
The Public Safety Communication program is designed to provide educational and professional development to those currently employed in the emergency communications field. The program focuses on communications skills development in a public safety communications center. Topics such as operations, record keeping, equipment, and dealing with diverse populations are just a sampling of areas covered in this program. Students will also concentrate on specific roles, techniques, and responsibilities that each specific discipline entails (EMS, Fire, & Police). This program has two tracks, Law Enforcement Dispatcher and Fire/EMS Dispatcher. Students that successfully complete the program will be certified by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officers Institute (APCO). Enrollment is limited to current public safety communications personnel sponsored by their respective agency that have received Emergency Communications Department approval.

Program Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this program, the student should:

1. Receive 911 phone calls and obtain information from the caller pertinent to emergency and non-emergency situations necessary to identify the appropriate resources required.
2. Effectively communicate with 911 callers who may be distressed, disabled, impaired, or from dissimilar cultures.
3. Record incident information in a consistent, accurate, and easily understood fashion.
4. Identify the specific resources required for an incident and accurately dispatch them in timely fashion.
5. Obtain critical information via telephone, computer, radio, reference sources, and electronic media used in public safety.
6. Provide basic emergency medical instructions via phone to callers with medical and trauma emergencies.

Requirements for Program Entrance
High school diploma required. Civil Service appointment as Public Safety Dispatcher or Telecommunicator required. Recommended High School Courses: Math, English, psychology, sociology, business & government.


Distribution Requirements

Credit Hours
LAW ENFORCEMENT DISPATCHER TRACK

FIRST SEMESTER

ENG 101 College Composition OR
ENG 200 Advanced Composition
3
PSC 100 Public Safety Telecommunicator
7
PSC 101 Emergency Medical Dispatch
2
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION HUMANITIES (SUNY-HUMN) ELECTIVE
(SPC 141 Interpersonal Speech Communication OR SPC 144 Communication and Crisis recommended)
3
First Semester Total:
15
SECOND SEMESTER

MTH 150 Survey of Mathematics OR
MTH 152 Survey of Mathematics for Technicians OR
MTH 160 Statistics I OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION MATH (SUNY-MATH) ELECTIVE
3-4
PSC 110 Practicum in Public Safety Telecommunicator
12
Second Semester Total:
15-16
THIRD SEMESTER

PSC 202 Law Enforcement Dispatching
7
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - NATURAL SCIENCES (and Scientific Reasoning) (SUNY-NSCI) ELECTIVE
3-4
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION U.S.HISTORY and CIVIC ENGAGEMENT (SUNY-USCV) ELECTIVE
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION WORLD HISTORY AND GLOBAL AWARENESS (SUNY-WHGA) OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION WORLD LANGUAGES (SUNY-WLNG) ELECTIVE
3-4
Third Semester Total:
16-18
FOURTH SEMESTER

SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
3
PSC 212 Practicum in Law Enforcement Dispatching
12
Fourth Semester Total:
15
TOTAL CREDITS:
61-64


FIRE AND EMS DISPATCHER TRACK

FIRST SEMESTER

ENG 101 College Composition OR
ENG 200 Advanced Composition
3
PSC 100 Public Safety Telecommunicator
7
PSC 101 Emergency Medical Dispatch
2
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION HUMANITIES (SUNY-HUMN) ELECTIVE
(SPC 141 Interpersonal Speech Communication OR SPC 144 Communication and Crisis recommended)
3
First Semester Total:
15
SECOND SEMESTER

MTH 150 Survey of Mathematics OR
MTH 152 Survey of Mathematics for Technicians OR
MTH 160 Statistics I OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION MATH (SUNY-MATH) ELECTIVE
3-4
PSC 110 Practicum in Public Safety Telecommunicator
12
Second Semester Total:
15-16
THIRD SEMESTER

PSC 203 Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services Dispatching
7
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - NATURAL SCIENCES (and Scientific Reasoning) (SUNY-NSCI) ELECTIVE
3-4
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION U.S. HISTORY and CIVIC ENGAGEMENT (SUNY-USCV) ELECTIVE
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION WORLD HISTORY AND GLOBAL AWARENESS (SUNY-WHGA) OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION WORLD LANGUAGES (SUNY-WLNG) ELECTIVE
3-4
Third Semester Total:
16-18
FOURTH SEMESTER

SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
3
PSC 213 Practicum in Fire and EMS Dispatching
12
Fourth Semester Total:
15
TOTAL CREDITS:
61-64
Revised 1`2/3/24