[New!] From the Emergency Communications Center to Capitol Hill: A Fireside Chat on Health and Wellness for Public Safety Telecommunicators
December 9 | 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
1 CDE | Free for members; $59 for non-members
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Join APCO Chief Counsel Nicole McGinnis for a fireside chat with Billy Dwyer, senior policy advisor to Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL). Together, they’ll unpack the latest developments on Capitol Hill that could affect public safety communications and share insights on the PROTECT 9-1-1 Act (H.R. 2937), a bill that addresses mental health and wellness challenges facing public safety telecommunicators. You’ll also learn practical tips to make your voice heard and effectively engage with lawmakers on the issues that matter most.
Change Management in the ECC: Guiding Teams Through Technology and AI Adoption
December 2 | 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
1 CDE | Free for members; $59 for non-members
Sponsored by Aurelian
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Time is running out to access all of the educational content from APCO 2025 with our session recordings! Gain access to 130+ professional development sessions featuring insights from leading public safety experts and innovators — all designed to help you build practical knowledge you can apply right away. Each session is worth 1 CEU, allowing you to earn up to 132 CEUs on your own schedule!
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Beginning December 1, APCO Illuminations General Track will offer the course Multitasking and Switch Tasking. This training course is designed to help public safety telecommunicators develop essential skills for managing multiple tasks, handling interruptions and prioritizing effectively in high-pressure situations. Earn up to 12 CDEs with an annual subscription with new topics introduced every month!
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Seats are available in APCO’s Communications Center Manager (CCM), 1st Edition course — designed to prepare current and aspiring ECC managers for success and certification.
Participants will gain essential knowledge, skills and abilities in operations management, covering key topics such as quality control, liability issues and effective oversight of ECC operations. Worth 24 CDEs, this course is offered online from December 10 - January 20, or you can complete it more quickly in the APCO Virtual Classroom from January 27-29.
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WFAA
Eden Dunn, a Hays County 9-1-1 telecommunicator, is being recognized for staying calm during a harrowing early‑morning emergency that helped save a man’s life.
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KCRG
The new emergency communications center in Dubuque County opened after over a decade of planning, providing nearly 3,000-square-feet of space and modern technology upgrades to support telecommunicators handling more than 100,000 calls annually.
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WIBW
Shawnee County Emergency Services plans to add four new “call taker” roles to ease the burden on current telecommunicators who handle approximately 600-800 calls daily and often work 12-hour shifts
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[Originally published in the November/December 2025 PSC Magazine]
It is just over an hour and a half into a Saturday shift at Allen Communications in the Allen, Texas, Police Department when a voice comes over the main police channel: “I think we got shots fired at the outlet mall." The public safety telecommunicator at console two acknowledges this calmly and professionally and sends backup to the location. This radio traffic grabs everyone’s attention. Is it the echo of gunshots from nearby? Could it be a car backfiring in the parking lot? A parking dispute gone terribly wrong? We brace for the worst while hoping for the best.
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Finish 2025 strong and earn CDEs for recertification with our upcoming courses. Both APCO members and non-members are welcome, and members receive a discount at registration.
Communication center operations:
Specialized training for telecommunicators:
- Active Shooter Incidents for Public Safety Communications, 2nd Edition (8 CDEs) - 12/3 - 1/6
- Crisis Negotiations for Telecommunicators, 2nd Edition (8 CDEs) - 12/11 (Virtual Classroom)
- Fire Service Communications, 3rd Edition (32 CDEs) - 12/17 - 2/3
Supervisory/management:
- Emergency Medical Dispatch Manager (8 CDEs) - 12/3 - 12/23
- Communications Center Supervisor, 5th Edition (24 CDEs) - 12/3 - 1/6
- Communication Center Manager, 1st Edition (24 CDEs) - 12/10 - 1/20
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