APCO TEST 2023 with 100% correct questions and answers

What does PSAP stand for: Public Safety Answering Point is a facility equipped and staffed to receive emergency calls requesting police, fire, EMS and other public safety services via telephone and other communication devices Professionalism is defined by (1.1) Who you are - inner character, what you do - behavior exhibited and how others perceive you - image projected Ethics (1.2) implies that it involves an individual's personal, professional and organizational rules of conduct. It includes opinions and feelings about certain manners and behavior. PSAP Organizational Structure (1.3) Each PSAP has a different organizational structure for personnel and job responsibilities, typically referred to as the chain of command. A PSAP's chain of command defines the relationship between frontline telecommunications, supervisors and managers. PSAP Informational Resources (1.6) Many reference material and informational database are available in PSAP's. They include: Telephone book, Cross- reference or City Directory, Maps, Computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems, Internet and Search engines and other resources Mutual Aid (1.7) is a process of supplying supplemental personnel, equipment or other resources to an incident to assist agencies that may be in danger of becoming overwhelmed in their response. These procedures are normally predetermined and are spelled out in "mutual aid agreements" between response agencies. Policies and Procedures (1.8) A Policy is a guide to thinking. (vague) A procedure is a guide to action. (specific) ... Sometimes it is not what is said, but how it is said that sets the tone for interpersonal communications. The Communication Cycle - Five Components (2.2) Sender; Receiver; Message; Medium; Feedback Sender The person who initiates the communication. during the communication the sender and receiver roles change Receiver The Person or group who is the target of the communication Message The idea itself, in whatever form it may take Medium The manner in which the message is transferred from the sender to the receiver Feedback Communication from the receiver to the sender to verify the message was understood Active Listening (2.3) involves demonstrating an interest and understanding in what is being said by staying focused, asking questions, listening for the main point and listening for the rationale behind what is being said Nonverbal attending (2.3) Its physically signaling that you are listening Open-Ended Questions (2.3) Are questions that cannot be answered "yes or no" requiring the sender to provide information. Paraphrasing (2.3) Is a brief rephrasing of information provided by the sender. It provides the restatement of the essence of the information in your own words. Reflecting Feelings is repeating in a short declarative statement the emotions or feelings that the sender is communicating. It asserts your awareness and understanding of the sender's feelings without indication agreement. Telecommunications should always base decisions on (2.5) observation or facts, not inferences or assumptions. Treat each caller with the same diligence, consideration and respect you'd show a member of your own family that requested public safety (2.6) Treat each caller with the same diligence, consideration and respect you'd show a member of your own family that requested public safety Any type of call can come in on any line at any time (3.1) Any type of call can come in on any line at any time Where (3.1) Location is the most important piece of information to be obtained from a caller; no other information is useful if there is no location. Always remember, you are the communications professional Always remember, you are the communications professional Remember - you are not the problem, you are part of the solution Remember - you are not the problem, you are part of the solution Never give legal advice Never give legal advice Basic information Gathering Techniques (3.3) The Four W's Where, What, When, Who and Weapons when applicable Where Where is help needed- If you can only get one piece of information make sure it is where. What What is Happening. When When did the event occur. (if suspect is there it is a now, 1-15 min is a just, over 15 min is a late) Who suspect information when applicable and also Who is Caller information Weapons An accurate description of weapons is a critical factor in the decision making process of response units Never Leave details to memory make a practice of recording facts as they are received Never Leave details to memory make a practice of recording facts as they are received Just the Facts It is imperative that telecommunications not assert personal viewpoints, opinions, supposition, theories, guesses, assumptions and superior knowledge into a call for service. Taking Descriptive Information - Physical Description (3.4) In order - Name, Race, Sex, Age/D.O.B., height, weight, Hair color and style, Eye color, other noticeable identifiers. Name If known, including nickname Race Use simple descriptors as white, black, Hispanic, Asian Sex Male, Female or unknown Age If unknown approximate Height If caller doesn't have an exact number ask to estimate with a range Weight Include build Hair Color & Style Obtain a simple description Eye Color If noticed and/or unusual Other Noticeable identifiers Include scars, marks, tattoos, piercing or disabilities Vehicle Description The acronym CYMBALS is recommended to assist telecommunications in remembering to obtain and relay all descriptive information pertaining to vehicle. C Color Y Year of Vehicle M Make/Model B Body such as convertible, 2 door, 4 door, sedan ... A Additional Information such as Body damage, unusual paint, damage L License Number /Expiration Date S State of License (color or unique plate) Persistent Repetition (3.5) A technique often successful in calming a highly emotional caller also know as hysterical is Persistent repetition which requires that the request be repeated each time in the same manner. ALI Automatic Location Identification. Which is the calling party's address and dispatch information ANI Automatic Number Identification. Which is the calling party's telephone number. In 1968 AT&T made the digits 9 1 1 available for use as a national emergency number In 1999 Congress designated 9 1 1 as the universal emergency telephone number within the United states. (President Bill Clinton was in office) Basic 9 1 1 Systems provide dedicated lines for sending the caller to the correct answering point Enhanced 9 1 1 (E9-1-1) Enhanced 9 1 1 systems enhance 9 1 1 by automatically providing the caller's telephone number and physical address. ANI/ALI MSAG Master Street Address Guide. 9 1 1 calls are selectively routed to the correct PSAP based on the Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) Call Routing. The four basic operational methods for call routing are (4.4) Direct dispatch, call transfer, call relay and call referral. Direct Dispatch is where the call is dispatched directly by the PSAP that receives the call Call Transfer is where the caller is transferred to the appropriate PSAP for dispatch after the incident location and nature is obtained Call Relay is where information obtained from a caller is provided "relayed" to the appropriate PSAP, department or agency Call Referral is where the caller is provide the telephone number and asked to call the appropriate agency, department or individual Always remember the ANI/ALI information displayed on the screen may not be the incident location Always remember the ANI/ALI information displayed on the screen may not be the incident location always verify location Telephony Emerging Technology Terminology(5.1) ... P ANI or Pseudo ANI a number used by the wireless carrier to route the call and identify the cell site and sector it is a sectioned site from which a wireless call originated VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol A technology that allows you to make telephone calls using the Internet Wireless E9 1 1 Phase 1 The delivery of the wireless 9 1 1 call to the appropriate PSAP along with the call-back number and the cell site and sector if the site is sectored from which the call originated (old flip phones) Wireless E9 1 1 Phase II The delivery of the wireless 9 1 1 call to the appropriate PSAP along with the call-back number, cell site and an estimate of the 9 1 1 caller's longitude and latitude The Two Basic types of wireless locations technologies in use by wireless carriers are: (5.2) Network Based and Handset Based Network Based Provides location based on radio signal triangulation. (The FCC has established that the location accuracy for network based location technology must be within 100 meters for 67% of call within 300 meters for 95% of calls) Handset Based Provides location based on GPS satellites. (FCC has established that the location accuracy for handset based location technology must be within 50 meters for 67% of calls within 150 meters for 95% of calls) The bottom line in processing wireless calls is (5.3) Location location location. Challenges for Public Safety Communications The VoIP call may come in over an administrative line. Possible delay in call processing, no ANI/ALI data What is a TTY or Teletypewriter (6.1) is a terminal type device with a keyboard and display and optionally a printer, used by deaf, hearing impaired and speech impaired people to communicate via telephone line. TTY terminology (6.2) American Sign Language (ASL) Hearing Carry Over (HCO) and Voice Carry Over (VCO) American Sign Language or ASL Language expressed through hands and body movements to express concepts rather than complete sentences Hearing Carry Over or HSO Method which utilizes both voice and text communications on the same call, allowing a person who is speach impaired to listen directly to the other party and receive response via a TTY or other means of text communications Voice Carry Over or VCO Method which utilizes both voice and text communications on the same call, allowing a person who is hearing impaired to speak directly to the other party and receive response via a TTY or other means of text communications A silent open line call must be considered a potential TTY call until proven otherwise Standard TTY abbreviations GA; Q; XXXX; SK or SKSK GA Type GA when you want the other person to respond. GA Means go ahead. Each party in the conversation should type GA when they want the other person to respond Q Type Q at the end of the statement when you ask a question. XXXX When you make a mistake type XXXX and then continue your message with the correct word SK or SKSK Type SK when the conversation is finished. SK means stop keying. To officially end the conversation, both parties should type SKSK which means stop keying, stop keying 7 1 1 is the number for relay service What is Telematics (7.1) is the general term referring to the emerging technology and the industry involved in a delivering location based services to consumer driven vehicles an example on star Telematics devices can open up a voice channel and transmit the location And other vehicular data via a wireless connection to a telematics call center or TCC (7.1) Telematics terminology Automatic Collision notification or ACN; and Conference - In Automatic collision Notification or ACN The Automatic transmission to a TCC via wireless technology of critical vehicle and occupant data immediately following a crash or when seatbelt tensions have been exceeded After transfer of all crash related data the system automatically establishes a voice connection between the vehicle and the TCC ... Conference-In A mode of telematics operations where the TCC operator the telematics subscriber and the PSAP telecommunication are connected in a three-way call configuration and all parties can speak to and hear each other simultaneously Emergency Button Activation with no-voice calls This type of call is similar to a 9 1 1 open line call and the telecommunication should follow their PSAP's standard operating procedure for processing 9 1 1 open line calls A stolen vehicle report must be filed by the subscriber with the appropriate PSAP and an entry made into NCIC by the PSAP prior to any telematics tracking taking place A stolen vehicle report must be filed by the subscriber with the appropriate PSAP and an entry made into NCIC by the PSAP prior to any telematics tracking taking place Categories of Basic Telecommunications (1.4) There are 3 primary fields of public safety communications: Law enforcement communication, Fire service Communication and E M S communication 4 vital services of Public Safety Communications Systems Communication with the public; Communication between Members of Same Agency; Communication between Public Safety Agencies; and Communication between Public Safety Agencies and Support Services Telephone communication techniques - Display professionalism and courtesy by Speak directly into the telephone mouthpiece; Use appropriate tone and manner of speech; show interest in the caller; Take charge of the conversation; Explain holds, pauses and delays; explain referrals; never argue with the caller; End the call positively and politely What is a Computer Aided Dispatch or CAD system is an electronic database that provides the telecommunication with call information, response unit available and other resources. Mobile Data System Some CAD systems incorporate small computer terminal in the vehicles of response units that are connected to the CAD system by radio. These computers are know as mobile data terminals or MDT or mobile data computers or MDC Most CAD systems use 24 hour time for record keeping. 24 hour time also known as military time, commences at midnight or 0000 and is counted consecutively through the revolutions of the clock Most CAD systems use 24 hour time for record keeping. 24 hour time also known as military time, commences at midnight or 0000 and is counted consecutively through the revolutions of the clock Automated Vehicle Locator or AVL Some PSAP's have Automated Vehicle Locator or AVL system technology incorporated into their CAD system that can be used to provide a mapped location of response units Logging Recorders These devices record radio and telephone conversation and this information is used for quality assurance/quality improvement (QA/QI) purposes. Broadcast Procedure - Radio Demeanor and Attitude Control your emotions - don't get excited when someone else on the radio sounds excited - remain calm Message Length in Radio Broadcast should not be longer than 30 seconds in duration. Messages that exceed 30 seconds should be paused at appropriate intervals. say break at the pause The international Phonetic Alphabet or IPA is used in radio broadcasting to clarify letters that could be misinterpreted easily. The international Phonetic Alphabet or IPA is used in radio broadcasting to clarify letters that could be misinterpreted easily. In Radio communications - Echo procedures are used to repeat information received in order to confirm or clarify it. In Radio communications - Echo procedures are used to repeat information received in order to confirm or clarify it. Response unit safety. Performing regular status check on response units helps track their locations and conditions, especially if a response unit has been at a scene for some time. Broadcasts of information regarding missing or wanted people, or stolen or wanted vehicles are commonly referred to as "Be on the Look Out" or BOLO also Attempt to Locate or ATL broadcasts In the Fire Service and E M S Specific Procedures Preliminary Dispatch information is kept to a minimum due, in part, to personnel that may be rushing to apparatus bays, donning protective clothing, opening bay doors and starting apparatus In the Fire Service and E M S Specific Procedures Preliminary Dispatch information is kept to a minimum due, in part, to personnel that may be rushing to apparatus bays, donning protective clothing, opening bay doors and starting apparatus Federal Communications Commission or FCC is an independent US government agency, directly responsible to congress Radio Terminology Repeater; Spectrum; and Mobile Radio Repeater Device used to extend the effective range of communication by receiving and re-transmitting radio signals automatically and simultaneously Spectrum Term used to describe the complete range of radio frequencies used for communication Mobile Radio Transmitter and receiver mounted in a vehicle. Requires power from vehicle and an antenna mounted on the vehicle Conventional Radio System a group of radios is assigned a frequency, or channel, and one radio may be transmitted at any time on the frequency to which those radios are assigned Radio Interoperability is defined as the ability for multiple agencies to converse with one another using common radio frequencies. Call Classifications - Time lapses are typically classified as In Progress, Just Occurred Delayed Law enforcement telecommunications also require training in accessing National Crime Information Center or NCIC information and are required to maintain certification in its use Law enforcement telecommunications also require training in accessing National Crime Information Center or NCIC information and are required to maintain certification in its use Proper prioritization of calls is essential Proper prioritization of calls is essential The AMBER Alert System is is a nationwide system that is organized under state or regional plans for the purpose of assisting in the recovery of abducted or endangered children The National Center of Missing and Exploited Children suggests a criteria that should be met before an alert is activated Law enforcement confirm a child 17 years or younger has been abducted What is The basic difference between assault and a battery physical contact. Bomb Threat It is very important to record the exact wording of the bomb threat Burglary involves entry into a building and the commission of a crime inside, while robbery is the taking of property by force or threat of force. Burglary involves entry into a building and the commission of a crime inside, while robbery is the taking of property by force or threat of force. Deceased Person - If the caller is from a hospice home or home health care agency, determine case history and if there is a D0 Not Resuscitate order or DNR on the patient. If there is a DNR make sure response units are advised Deceased Person - If the caller is from a hospice home or home health care agency, determine case history and if there is a D0 Not Resuscitate order or DNR on the patient. If there is a DNR make sure response units are advised Family disturbances are typically considered the most hazardous calls to which public safety officials respond Larceny is the unauthorized removal or concealment of property Larceny is the unauthorized removal or concealment of property Carjacking is a combination of robbery and auto theft There is a myth that people who talk about suicide do not kill themselves There is a myth that people who talk about suicide do not kill themselves Fire Calls - in a majority of cases there is very little prioritization since fire calls are typically escalating emergencies that require immediate response Fire Calls - in a majority of cases there is very little prioritization since fire calls are typically escalating emergencies that require immediate response In Fire service terminology an exposure is anything in close proximity to the fire that may become involved or which, if involved, may escalate the damaged greatly. In Fire service terminology an exposure is anything in close proximity to the fire that may become involved or which, if involved, may escalate the damaged greatly. Time is critical in a structure fire Time is critical in a structure fire Fires in motor homes, travel trailers, camping trailers and large trucks are classified as vehicle fires. Fires in motor homes, travel trailers, camping trailers and large trucks are classified as vehicle fires. Some PSAPs utilize an Emergency Medical Dispatch or E M D program that helps telecommunications properly categorize emergency calls for E M S response, and provide pre-arrival medical instructions to the caller prior to response units arriving on scene. Some PSAPs utilize an Emergency Medical Dispatch or E M D program that helps telecommunications properly categorize emergency calls for E M S response, and provide pre-arrival medical instructions to the caller prior to response units arriving on scene. National Incident Management System or NIMS Is a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines. An integral part of NIMS is Incident Command System or ICS An integral part of NIMS is Incident Command System or ICS Two IC facilities used are Incident Command Post or ICP and Staging Areas Incident Command Post or ICP is The location of on scene incident command. It typically houses the IC (incident commander) and immediate staff Staging Areas Are established for temporary location of available resources not immediately assigned Liaison Officer or LNO Is the point of contact for representatives of other agencies responding to the incident such as support services, mutual aid agencies etc. Logistics Section Is responsible for all support requirements needed to facilitate effective and efficient incident management, including ordering resources from off incident locations, providing facilities transportation supplies, equipment maintenance fuel, food services, communications and information technology support and emergency responder medical services, including inoculations as required ...