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.
(Housed at Public Safety Training Facility)

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
SPC 141 Interpersonal Speech Communication
3
First Semester Total:
15
SECOND SEMESTER

MTH 135 Introduction to Technical Mathematics OR
MTH 140 Technical Mathematics OR
MTH 150 Survey of Mathematics OR
MTH 160 Statistics I OR higher**
3-4
PSC 110 Practicum in Public Safety Telecommunicator
12
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
3
Second Semester Total:
18-19
THIRD SEMESTER

PSC 202 Law Enforcement Dispatching
7
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - NATURAL SCIENCES (SUNY-NS) ELECTIVE
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVE*
3
MCC GENERAL EDUCATION - HEALTH AND WELLNESS (MCC-HW) ELECTIVE
2
Third Semester Total:
15
FOURTH SEMESTER

ENG 250 Professional Communication OR
SPC 144 Communication and Crisis OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - FOREIGN LANGUAGES (SUNY-FL) ELECTIVE
3
PSC 212 Practicum in Law Enforcement Dispatching
12
Fourth Semester Total:
15
TOTAL CREDITS:
63-64


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
SPC 141 Interpersonal Speech Communication
3
First Semester Total:
15
SECOND SEMESTER

MTH 135 Introduction to Technical Mathematics OR
MTH 140 Technical Mathematics OR
MTH 150 Survey of Mathematics OR
MTH 160 Statistics I OR higher**
3-4
PSC 110 Practicum in Public Safety Telecommunicator
12
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
3
Second Semester Total:
18-19
THIRD SEMESTER

PSC 203 Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services Dispatching
7
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - NATURAL SCIENCES (SUNY-NS) ELECTIVE
3
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVE*
3
MCC GENERAL EDUCATION - HEALTH AND WELLNESS (MCC-HW) ELECTIVE
2
Third Semester Total:
15
FOURTH SEMESTER

ENG 250 Professional Communication OR
SPC 144 Communication and Crisis OR
SUNY GENERAL EDUCATION - FOREIGN LANGUAGES (SUNY-FL) ELECTIVE
3
PSC 213 Practicum in Fire and EMS Dispatching
12
Fourth Semester Total:
15
TOTAL CREDITS:
63-64
*Choose any course from the following SUNY-GER categories:
SUNY-AH, SUNY-BC, SUNY-FL, SUNY-H, SUNY-NS, SUNY-OWC, SUNY-WC.
**Course selected must also qualify for MCC-QL.

Revised 8/3/2018