Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Launches Virtual Classroom

APCO International serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide and the welfare of the general public as a whole by providing complete expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy, and outreach.

FREMONT, CA: The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International launched the APCO Virtual Classroom that will offer live instruction led online in real-time by APCO Institute adjunct instructors. The virtual classroom is unique because it provides online students with an interactive, engaging environment that is usually found only in a traditional classroom setting.

The first course that will be offered in this setting is Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST), 7th Edition, which is a foundational course that covers communication skills, call taking, and radio techniques. The PST course incorporates the most up-to-date information on technology and work-related issues in emergency communications centers.

“The launch of APCO Virtual Classroom comes at the right time when in-person training is limited,” said Derek K. Poarch, Executive Director and CEO of APCO International. “We will begin with the foundational course PST and continue to add new courses regularly to ensure that our members can get the vital training they need to serve and save lives.”

APCO will release additional courses, including Tactical Dispatch, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), EMD Manager, and Communications Training Officer, in the following months. In addition to getting an experience similar to that received in a traditional classroom setting, students will get expedited training without having to travel. For example, the virtual classroom PST course takes five days versus four weeks for the regular online course.