Illuminations CDE Program

A fire in a structure with multiple residential occupants, such as an apartment building, hotel, or assisted living facility, is challenging for firefighters. This session identifies common causes of these fires, fire suppression/extinguishing systems, and occupant evacuation strategies.

Welfare checks are typically routine safety/wellness checks conducted by law enforcement, usually requested by a family member or friend. Explore the unexpected dangers of these checks to both the occupant and law enforcement responders.

This General Illuminations course will educate public safety telecommunicators on domestic violence calls and the potential dangers of ambush to first responders. Participants will gain insight into the dynamics that escalate these types of emergency calls, including restraining orders, child custody, weapons/access to weapons, high emotional intensity, and perpetrator resistance. The student will learn risk assessment strategies for effective responses to these high-risk encounters.

This General Illuminations course provides public safety telecommunicators with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and its growing role in emergency communications. By the end of this course, participants will have a better understanding of AI basics, understand current and future potential use cases in public safety telecommunciations, and be able to apply ethical considerations.

This General Illuminations course provides a deeper understanding of the responsibilities and liabilities of public safety telecommunicators. Participants will gain insight into duty of care, common liability issues, and best practices for risk mitigation. Telecommunicator liability risks, including failure to prioritize calls, failure to attend training or maintain certification, failure to gather accurate information, negligent communication, failure to follow policy/procedure, and failure to accurately document, are highlighted.

This General Illuminations course provides public safety telecommunicators with essential communication strategies for interacting with non-English speakers and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. By the end of this course, participants will be able to demonstrate the use of translation services, TTY, and Video Relay Services, and apply compassionate communication techniques to handle calls involving language barriers.

This General Illuminations course identifies appropriate crisis communication techniques to prepare the public safety telecommunicator to handle calls involving suicide threats better. Participants will learn how to assess the situation, communicate effectively with callers in crisis, and coordinate appropriate responses to ensure the safety and well-being of the caller and responders. Techniques such as active listening, empathetic communication, and de-escalation techniques to build rapport are discussed.

This General Illuminations course provides public safety telecommunicators with strategies to maintain vigilance and accuracy in call handling. By the end of this course, participants will be able to understand the risks of complacency, identify personal and organizational signs of reduced attentiveness, and apply techniques to maintain focus and accuracy during call handling.

This General Illuminations course is tailored for public safety telecommunicators tasked with managing calls related to large outdoor public gatherings such as concerts, festivals, sporting events, community celebrations, and protests. Challenges such as crowd dynamics, potential hazards, mass casualty situations, and logistical complexities of emergency response are examined.

This General Illuminations course provides public safety telecommunicators with knowledge and skills necessary for effective coordination and communication during search and rescue operations. By the end of this course, participants will be able to demonstrate how to manage resources, relay critical information, and coordinate with search teams to support search and rescue efforts.

This General Illuminations course provides the public safety telecommunicator with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to manage the psychological impact of critical incidents they encounter. The participant will learn about the causes and effects of critical incident stress, recognize stress symptoms, and identify appropriate intervention and self-care strategies for themselves and their team members.

This General Illuminations course provides public safety telecommunicators with knowledge and emotional intelligence to handle substance abuse-related calls. By the end of this course, participants will be able to apply strategies for compassionate communication, identify signs of substance abuse in calls, and understand the protocols for providing assistance.

This General Illuminations course aims to equip public safety telecommunicartors with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the development of effective policies and procedures within their agency. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the importance of evidence-based practices, risk management, and the role of policies in guiding daily operations and decision-making. Additionally, the course will explore techniques for reviewing and updating policies regularly to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

This General Illuminations course provides public safety telecommunicators with essential skills to manage multiple tasks while prioritizing effectively in high-pressure situations. By the end of this course, participants will be able to explain how to handle interruptions, prioritize emergency calls, and efficiently switch between tasks without losing critical information.

This Illuminations course equips Communications Training Officers with valuable tools to enhance their training techniques. Participants will learn how to apply AI-driven insights to personalize training plans, support trainee development and refine their instructional methods. Through this course, they will gain specific skills in using data analysis to refresh routine feedback, resulting in more engaging, impactful and effective learning outcomes.

The Communications Training Officer will analyze Chapter 6 of the APCO standard – “CTO professional competence.” This course emphasizes the primary responsibilities of CTOs for developing, maintaining, and enhancing their knowledge and skills. Participants will acquire strategies for developing and maintaining their competencies by creating personalized plans with short-term and long-term goals for continuous CTO development. Participants will also identify ways to seek feedback about their performance and any improvement needs

This Illuminations course equips Communications Training Officers with the skills to effectively complete the Daily Observation Report (DOR). Participants will use the Standardized Evaluation Guidelines(SEGs) to ensure objective, fact-based observations and accurate documentation of trainee performance. The course highlights maintaining a positive tone and addressing areas for improvement through remediation. By the end, participants should be prepared to master the DOR process and enhance the impact of their evaluations.

The Communications Training Officer will analyze section 7.2.3 of the APCO CTO standard – “providing individualized instruction to the trainee.” Diverse teaching methods and instructional techniques to meet the specific trainee needs are emphasized in this course. Participants will create training plans based on agency goals, objectives, and benchmarks for individual learning style preferences. Participants will also evaluate and document trainee performance and recommend supplemental education/training to enhance training effectiveness.