911 Public Safety Telecommunicator ProgramOverviewIn 2008, the Florida Legislature established a voluntary certification program for 911 emergency dispatchers. This act created Florida Statute 401.465, 911 emergency dispatcher certification. January 30, 2009, Elaine Tracey from Lake County Sheriff's Office became the State of Florida's first State Certified 911 emergency dispatcher. Lake County Sheriff's Office had the first 19 dispatchers certified by the Department of Health. In 2010, the Florida Legislature revisited the legislation and renamed the program "911 Public Safety Telecommunicators". July 1, 2010, the new legislation became law which required all 911 public safety telecommunicators to become certified by October 1, 2012. Initial Certification ProcessThe following services have been approved to teach the 911 public safety telecommunicator course:
Any 911 public safety telecommunicator who has documentation of at least 3 years of supervised full-time employment as a 911 public safety telecommunicator or an emergency dispatcher since January 1, 2002, may be eligible to apply for initial certification. To obtain initial certification as a 911 public safety telecommunicator, DH Form 5066 (pdf 38.92kb/3 pages) must be completed. When completing this form, please use as many duplicate copies of page 3 as applicable to document all employment. All certifications expire February 1, of each odd year. Recertification ProcessTo be eligible for renewal certification as a 911 public safety telecommunicator, the applicant shall submit DH Form 5068 (pdf 41.39kb/4 pages) before February 1, of each odd year. Each applicant eligible for renewal certification as a 911 public safety telecommunicator must complete 20 hours of 911 public safety telecommunicator training based on the Department of Education's 911 Public Safety Telecommunication Curriculum Framework, Program Number P090101 (pdf 112.21kb/13 pages). The 20 hours of renewal education may be earned by the various delivery methods as outlined in the table below.
The department shall accept either the affirmation from a public safety agency as defined in s. 365.171, F.S., or a certificate of completion of 20 hours of renewal training from a department-approved Florida 911 public safety telecommunicator training program equivalent to the most recent approved emergency 911 public safety telecommunicator course of the Department of Education. 911 Public Safety Telecommunication Course EquivalencyAny agency seeking determination of equivalency for their training program shall submit to the Department of Health DH Form 5067 (pdf 65.29/5 pages), 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Course Equivalency Application with supporting attachments. The training program shall consist of no less than 232 hours. The department shall identify from DH Form 5067, 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Training Course Equivalency Application, the instructional objectives within their training program that meet each of the student performance standards as outlined in the Department of Education's 911 Public Safety Telecommunication Curriculum Framework, Program Number P090101, Occupational Completion Point - Data Code A. Fees
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Florida 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification Statute 401.465 Contact Us:Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. If you need assistance or have questions regarding 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification, please contact the 911 Public Safety Telecommunication at (850) 245-4440 or send an email to EMS_Operations@doh.state.fl.us.
Rebecca Cash, 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Program Manager Wendy Parkinson, 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Administrative Secretary |
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