New York City Fire Department | Evaluated Learning Experience
Fire Dispatch Operations: Alarm Receipt Dispatcher (COM 202)
Version 1 and 2: 160 hours (4 weeks).
Version 1: September 2007- September 2012. Version 2: October 2012 - December 2021.
Version 1 and 2: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: receive and process emergency calls received from NYPD, private alarm companies, inter-bureau agencies, and outside agencies; speak to callers, extract pertinent information, validate that caller’s location exists in FDNY street file, and generate a response based on the information received from the calling party. In addition to handling emergency calls from the public, ARDs also manage non-emergency and administrative calls, make notifications to other agencies, handle requests from other bureaus within the department; and serve as the primary back-up to other Fire Dispatch positions. ARDs will become familiar with and use equipment including: the Starfire CAD, VESTA phone, MapStar, EBS telephone, Motorola Scanner, and ERS systems.
Version 1 and 2: Major topics include: fire alarm dispatching; role of 5 CADS positions; DD 96-01; request for assistance; and proper handling of complaints. Instructional methods include: supplemental readings, PowerPoints, quizzes, and on-the-job supervised practice.
Version 1: In the associate degree/certificate category, 1 semester hour in Public Safety Communications. NOTE: This course was previously grouped with Decision Dispatcher (COM 203) and Radio/Voice Alarm (COM 204). Version 2: In the associate degree/certificate category, 3 semester hours in Public Safety Communications or Communications (5/12) (7/17 revalidation). NOTE: This course was previously grouped with Decision Dispatcher (COM 203) and Radio/Voice Alarm (COM 204). NOTE 2: Effective December 31, 2021, this course was grouped under a new title "Probationary Fire Alarm Dispatcher Training (COM 210)."