State Mandatory Training Begins

After three years of legislative efforts, curriculum selection and instructor training, the state of Maine has begun a program of mandatory training for all local dispatchers. The 40-hour program focuses on basic call handling, recordkeeping and radio operations, leaving specific policy and procedure matters to local agencies. The state is one a few in the U.S. that first answers all 911 calls at a central comm center, and then transfers calls to the appropriate local agency. Stephan Bunker, trainer for Maine 9-1-1, told a newspaper, “We don’t want Maine to fall prey because we didn’t care enough about this profession to at least provide them with a basic minimum-training program.” He added that it will supplement and standardize the local training that agencies now perform. The courses are financed by the state’s regular 911 surcharge. Bunker was honored last August as the Trainer of the Year by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO). Read more about the training here, and watch a video here.