Emergency Communications

Follow the directions provided in this free mini-course (on myLambton D2L) to register for the APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator- Canada course. This is completed directly through APCO International. Upon successful completion (*A grade of 80% on the final exam is required to receive the APCO certificate), students receive certification, which must be uploaded to the dropbox in this course.

This course is designed to introduce the participants to the fundamental concepts of Canada's legal system. The students will learn how laws are defined, created, implemented and interpreted to provide solutions to problems. Various Acts impacting emergency communications will be examined and "on the job" implications explored.

In this course students learn keyboarding techniques using various methods. Keyboarding speed and accuracy are emphasized. Proofreading and editing documents is covered. Research about Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD))and proper ergonomics is included. The student should be able to achieve a minimum speed of 25 net words per minute (nwpm) with 98% accuracy with frequent practice.

This course introduces students to the skills used to recognize the need for, and understand the steps to, effective crisis intervention as they apply to callers, family members, friends and co-workers. Emergency services providers, in particular, are exposed to Critical Incident Stress (CIS) situations that may lead to the need for interventions to mitigate/prevent the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The focus of this course is to make the student feel confident and competent in understanding and responding to a diverse range of crisis situations.

You will focus on topics pertaining to customer service and the achievement of equity in various social and work settings, including, but not limited to, race, gender, ethnicity and social orientations. This course will enable you to identify possible strategies for empowerment in the workplace.

Students are introduced to basic concepts of emergency management as practiced in Ontario and across Canada. The course includes the Province of Ontario's Basic Emergency Management (BEM) certification course curriculum addressing the core components (mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery) of emergency management. Instructed by a provincially certified Basic Emergency Management (BEM) facilitator, students meeting the provincial requirements will be given the opportunity to attain provincial certification in Basic Emergency Management.

Interpersonal communication might be thought of as the primary building block for other communication contexts. It begins where all human and social phenomena begin, with the self. It continues as an ongoing process of sharing meanings with others. It is important for group communication and organizational communication. Interpersonal communication is an immediately useful course because it is a process in which we constantly participate. We need only go about our daily lives to encounter countless opportunities to apply the concepts of the course.

This course emphasizes the writing of effective business communications, including letters, memoranda, email, and short reports. Other tasks include applying proofreading and editing skills. These skills will prepare the student for the work environment, which requires practical business writing to be clear, correct, and concise. Students are introduced to the research process and develop critical thinking skills.

Stress can play a significant role in people's professional lives. Learning how to deal with stress is vital to long term health. While stress alone does not cause disease, it triggers molecular changes throughout the body that make people more susceptible to many illnesses. In this course, students will gain an understanding of the importance of how to deal with both positive and negative stress in their lives. By using wellness perspectives, each student will gain more insight into how he or she can control both internal and external stressors.

A component of the Emergency Communications program, this course gives the student the opportunity to complete a placement in the environment in which they hope to make a career. High stress levels and demanding responsibilities are typical of careers in the Emergency Communications field. Students are responsible for finding a field placement in a workplace that aligns with the program. In this placement, the student is directly exposed to people, protocols and technologies in the field of Emergency Communications. Students must complete sixty (60) hours of field placement.

Students must contact the Online Education Office (online@lambtoncollege.ca) at least 6 months in advance of their desired placement start date.

Prerequisite(s):

• CPT-1133 Computer/Keyboarding Skills I
• EMR-1013 Emergency Management
• ENG-1244 Business English Skills I
• PED-1083 Stress, Wellness and Nutrition
• EMR-1003 APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator
• LSA-2063 Crisis Intervention
• LSA-2103 Canadian Law and Provincial Legislation
• PSY-1203 Interpersonal and Group Dynamics
• PHL-1213 Customer Service and Ethics