[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]9-1-1 professionals inside public safety answering points (PSAPs) deal with high-pressure life-and-death situations daily. To provide the best possible outcomes in emergencies, they must be disciplined and prepared.
The nation’s 9-1-1 system celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. PSAP professionals must navigate evolutions in 9-1-1 technology, methodology, and standards. The amount of government agencies, nonprofits, and training providers catering to the 9-1-1 community can be overwhelming. In this post, we’ve collected practical resources for 9-1-1 professionals to expand their skills, attain certifications, and keep up with industry news.
Resources for 911 Dispatchers, Call Takers, and PSAPs:
The National 911 Program helps advocate for best practices in emergency response across the United States. They work on projects targeted to all levels of the 9-1-1 community, from dispatchers to legislators. Their 911.gov Connects Newsletter is a quarterly update on national efforts to improve emergency communications, and the State of 911 Webinar Series features speakers from different states sharing case studies and updates on nationwide initiatives.
The 911 Training Institute offers courses and training sessions for PSAP professionals, in addition to a library of free resources. Their resource library has wellness advice for call takers and dispatchers, techniques for finding emotional support, a list of therapists that cater to first responders, and more.
APCO is dedicated to supporting the members of the Thin Gold Line and boasts a long list of in person and online courses. They offer functional-specific training as well as leadership, recertification, and management courses.
The Denise Amber Lee Foundation was created in response to a tragic challenge to locate a 9-1-1 caller. The foundation is dedicated to 9-1-1 training and promoting the latest technologies for PSAPs. They host a variety of training guidelines and legislative resources to help advocate for the best possible emergency response service.
International Academies of Emergency Dispatch
The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch website publishes protocols and standards for public safety agencies to use to respond to new threats or to update existing processes based on new research. The nonprofit offers paid subscription access to their library and has gathered a list of sites and scholarly databases from around the web.
Mission Critical Partners are experts in the field and put out an impressive collection of industry analysis. Their webinar series contains practical guides for PSAPs navigating the evolving public safety technology landscape. They also have published a collection of whitepapers on hot-button industry topics.
National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA)
NASNA maintains a public library of documents with a special focus on technology and emergency communications policy. You can find whitepapers and memos from NASNA commenting on state and national developments in the 9-1-1 system. They also collect a list of current legislation and regulation that affects 9-1-1 infrastructure and processes.
NENA produces many of the public safety industry’s most respected and recognized standards for technology solutions and personnel. Their extensive list of courses and training materials will help PSAP professionals looking to stay on top of new technology developments or build their management skills.
The NG9-1-1 Institute promotes the adoption of Next-Generation 9-1-1 services. They provide informative resources for 9-1-1 professionals who want to deploy the latest emergency response technology in their PSAPs. Their annual technology showcase provides a deep look at the work companies are doing to provide the public safety community with the best tools possible.
At RapidSOS, we host a free training portal for PSAP professionals interested in learning more about accurate, device-based wireless caller location.
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