APCO PST1 cheat sheet

Call processing sequence: answer promptly, identify the agency and yourself, obtain the nature and location of the problem, control the conversation, dispatch the response, then update and close the record.

Gather the five W's (who, what, when, where, why) plus weapons, injuries, and the number of people involved before releasing a caller.

Open-ended prompts such as 'Tell me what happened' produce a narrative; closed-ended questions such as 'Is he breathing?' confirm and pin down specific facts.

Confirm location first: exact address, apartment or unit, nearest cross street, and landmarks. Confirm the callback number verbally even when ANI is displayed.

Dispatch priority runs life safety, then property, then order maintenance. A caller's emotional intensity is not by itself a priority indicator.

Keep the caller on the line when it is safe to do so: an on-scene caller can give real-time updates, follow instructions, or be warned away from danger.

An interview gathers facts from cooperative people; an interrogation is accusatory questioning of a suspect and normally falls outside the telecommunicator's role.

With suicidal callers, ask directly about intent, plan, and access to means; do not promise secrecy, and do not disconnect while the caller is still engaged.

Phonetic alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

NIMS requires plain language for multi-agency and multi-discipline incidents because ten-code meanings vary between agencies and regions.

Depress the transmit key, pause one to two seconds, then speak in a normal voice at a steady rate with the microphone about two inches from the mouth.

Procedure words: 'Roger' means received; 'Wilco' means will comply; 'Say again' means repeat; 'Stand by' means wait; 'Disregard' cancels the last message; 'Clear' ends contact.

'Over' means a response is expected; 'out' means the exchange is finished. 'Over and out' is contradictory and is not used.

Announce 'emergency traffic' to seize a channel for a life-safety transmission; all other units hold traffic until the control operator releases the channel.

Standard unit status values include available, dispatched or en route, on scene, transporting, at hospital, and out of service.

Dispatch transmissions follow a fixed order (unit identification, location, nature, time) so a unit can begin moving before the details end.

ANI is the calling party's number; ALI is the associated subscriber address. Both arrive from the telephone network rather than from anything the telecommunicator types.

Wireless Phase I supplies the callback number plus the cell site or sector; Phase II supplies an estimated latitude and longitude, typically accurate to 50-300 meters.

Wireless location accuracy degrades indoors, in rural areas, and with older handsets, so verbal confirmation of location is always required.

TTY/TDD uses Baudot code at 45.45 baud with 1400 Hz mark and 1800 Hz space tones; turns are taken by typing, and the telecommunicator types to interrupt.

NG9-1-1 is Internet Protocol based and supports text, photographs, video, and additional data, with routing that can survive the loss of a single PSAP.

VoIP and multi-line telephone systems may deliver inaccurate ALI, may fail during a power outage, and may route a call to the wrong PSAP.

PSAP redundancy includes backup power from UPS and generator, alternate call routing, a backup CAD or manual card system, and recorded-line logging.

Radio terms: a repeater extends coverage by receiving and retransmitting; trunking shares a pool of channels; a dead spot is an area of insufficient signal.

Negligence requires four elements: a duty owed, a breach of that duty, causation of harm, and actual damages.

A duty to act may arise from statute, agency policy, or the telecommunicator's assigned role; it does not arise from a general constitutional obligation to rescue.

The CJIS Security Policy requires a fingerprint-based background check, security awareness training within six months of assignment, and refresher training every two years.

NCIC and state criminal justice databases are restricted to criminal justice purposes; unauthorized query or dissemination carries criminal and administrative penalties.

Protected information is shared on a need-to-know basis; disclosure to media, family, or acquaintances outside policy is a common source of liability.

Release of 9-1-1 recordings, CAD data, and reports is governed by state public-records statutes and their exemptions, not by the telecommunicator's preference.

HIPAA generally does not bind a PSAP as a covered entity, but state health-privacy law and agency policy still restrict medical information collected on calls.

Ethical standards require impartial treatment of every caller, avoidance of conflicts of interest, and truthful documentation of what was said and done.

The four phases of emergency management are mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

NIMS components are resource management, command and coordination, and communications and information management, supported by preparedness and ongoing maintenance.

ICS span of control is three to seven subordinates per supervisor, with five as the target ratio.

Unified Command is used when several agencies hold jurisdiction or responsibility and must set joint objectives; a single Incident Commander is used when one agency clearly leads.

The EOC coordinates policy, resources, and public information in support of the on-scene Incident Command; it does not direct tactical field operations.

Under the National Response Framework, ESF-2 coordinates communications and ESF-8 coordinates public health and medical support.

Mutual aid is formalized through written agreements such as an MOU, MOA, or compact that specify resources, cost, liability, and authority.

IPAWS distributes Wireless Emergency Alerts and Emergency Alert System messages; only designated officials with valid credentials may originate them.

CISM is a peer-based, confidential support process: a defusing occurs within hours of an incident, a debriefing typically 24 to 72 hours later, followed by referral and follow-up.

Cumulative stress builds from routine workload and shift schedules; critical incident stress follows a single overwhelming event. Both impair judgment and performance.

Burnout presents as exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy; compassion fatigue presents as detachment and intrusive thoughts from repeated exposure to others' trauma.

Warning signs needing escalation include sleep loss lasting weeks, increased alcohol or substance use, withdrawal, irritability, hopelessness, and talk of self-harm.

Shift work and rotating schedules disrupt circadian rhythm; fatigue degrades reaction time and decision quality in ways comparable to alcohol intoxication.

EAP and peer support contacts are confidential within legal limits; mandatory reporting applies to imminent risk of harm to self or others.

Console setup should support neutral wrist posture, a monitor at eye level, lumbar support, and periodic position changes to reduce musculoskeletal injury.