chapter 13
TELECOMMUNICATOR TRAINING STANDARDS

IAC 6/18/97

501—13.1(80B)  Telecommunicator training board.  There is established a telecommunicator training board under the authority of Iowa Code section 7E.3(3) which shall be an advisory board to the director as to matters arising under this chapter and the provisions of Iowa Code sections 80B.11(9) and 80B.11C.  This board shall consist of a minimum of one representative of and named by each of those organizations and departments listed in Iowa Code section 80B.11C, and such other persons appointed at the discretion of the director.  Members of the board shall not be considered to be state employees for the purpose of the board and shall serve without compensation.  The board will meet at the call of the director, and may establish such internal procedures as it may deem appropriate, subject to the approval of the director.  A chairperson and such other officers of the board to be determined by the board shall be selected by majority vote of the board.  The board may establish bylaws for its operation.

501—13.2(80B)  Telecommunicator training.

13.2(1)   Basic training.  All persons employed primarily as telecommunicators after July 1, 1998, shall successfully complete an approved basic training course within one year of employment.  For purposes of this chapter, a telecommunicator is defined as a person who receives requests for, or dispatches requests to, emergency response agencies which include, but are not limited to, law enforcement, fire, rescue, and emergency medical services agencies.

13.2(2)   In–service training requirements for former telecommunicators who return to a telecommunicator position.  Any individual who leaves and then returns to an Iowa telecommunicator position must receive, within one year of the individual’s rehiring date, in–service training as follows:

501—13.3(80B) Basic training.

13.3(1)   Approved basic training course.  Approved basic training course means a 40–hour course of instruction which has been approved in advance by the Iowa law enforcement academy through the telecommunicator training board, which includes at a minimum the following topics:

1.     Introduction to public safety services and the role of the telecommunicator.

2.     Human relations and communications skills.

3.     911 systems, communications equipment, terminology.

4.     Understanding and taking different types of calls.

5.     Basic dispatch/broadcast techniques.

6.     Dispatching and managing the response to a call for service.

7.     Multiple tasking and prioritization.

8.     Liability and legal issues.

9.     Resource awareness.

10.   Stress management and motivation.

13.3(2)   Approval of courses.  Requests for approval of basic training courses shall be timely submitted to the academy on prescribed forms.

13.3(3)   Agency administrator responsibility.  It shall be the responsibility of agency administrators to ensure that all telecommunicators under their direction receive the training required by these rules.

13.3(4)   Period of validity.  The approval of courses under this rule shall be valid for a period of 36 months.

501—13.4(80B) Minimum in–service training requirements.

13.4(1)   In–service training for newly hired telecommunicators.  During each full fiscal year of employment following completion of the required basic training as set forth in subrule 13.3(1), telecommunicators shall complete a minimum of eight hours of in–service training.

13.4(2)   In–service training for incumbents.  During each fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, currently employed telecommunicators are required to complete a minimum of eight hours of in–service training.

13.4(3)   Required in–service course content.  To qualify as in–service training, the course content must consist of a topic or topics as listed in subrule 13.3(1) or other subject matter approved by the telecommunicator training board.

13.4(4)   Agency responsibility.  Agency administrators shall ensure that all telecommunicators under their direction receive the minimum hours of in–service training required by these rules and that current and accurate in–service training records are regularly kept and maintained.  The agency administrator shall make these records available for inspection upon request by the director of the Iowa law enforcement academy or the director’s designee.

13.4(5)   In–service training records.  In–service training records shall include the following data:

a.     The date and location of the training.

b.     The subject matter of the training.

c.     The instructor for the training.

d.     The individual who took the training.

e.     The number of credit hours received from the training.

f.      The scores, if any, achieved by the telecommunicator to show proficiency in, or understanding of, the subject matter.

501—13.5(80B) Instructors for basic training courses.

13.5(1)   Experience.  Instructors must have a minimum of two years of telecommunicator experience.  This requirement may be modified by the telecommunicator’s agency administrator with telecommunicator training board approval in exceptional cases reflecting outstanding education or experience.

13.5(2)   Education.  Instructors must have a minimum of a high school education with a diploma or possess a GED equivalency certificate.

13.5(3)   Training.  Instructors must have successfully completed an instructor training course consisting of a minimum of 40 hours of instruction or have provided a minimum of 80 hours of telecommunicator instruction within the past two years and can verify same.

13.5(4)   Period of validity.  Instructor approval shall be valid for a period of 36 months.

IAC 4/7/99

501—13.6(80B)  Telecommunicator status forms furnished to academy.  Within ten days of any of the following occurrences, the academy will be notified by the use of prescribed forms:

1.     Any hiring, termination or retirement of personnel.

2.     Change of status of existing personnel (e.g., promotions, name changes).

3.     Training received by telecommunicators not provided at or by personnel of the Iowa law enforcement academy.

These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 80B.11(9) and 80B.11C.

[Filed 5/29/97, Notice 3/26/97—published 6/18/97, effective 7/23/97]

[Filed 3/17/99, Notice 2/10/99—published 4/7/99, effective 5/12/99]