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Implementing a Citizen’s Academy for 9-1-1 is a strategic means of public education to inform and educate adults while serving as a recruiting tool for law agencies. The academy aims to develop a better understanding of the 9-1-1 system, with a curriculum covering call processing, quality improvement, and more. The Kemp Model of Instructional System Design serves as the framework for implementation, focusing on needs assessment, goals, objectives, and evaluations. The on-site classes, combined with online courses, cater to different target groups and address critical issues such as funding and scheduling.
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Implementing a “Citizen’s Academy for 9-1-1” A Strategic Means of Public Education
Why a “Citizen’s Academy for 9-1-1” • Law Agencies recognize the benefit • Informed and educated public • Time Limitations • Each law segment typically limited
Intent of a “Citizen’s Academy for 9-1-1” • Provide public education • Develop better understanding • First point of contact • “Voice of the agency” • Unanticipated benefit • Recruiting tool
Target Group • Adults with an interest • Local media personnel • Community organizations • Referrals from User Agencies • Applicants
Method of Implementation • Kemp Model of Instructional System Design • Needs assessment • Goals and objectives • Curriculum analysis • Identification of resources • Formative and summative evaluations This model served as the format for the proposal
Goals and Objectives • Goal • Provide a forum for informing and educating • Objectives • Solid understanding of organization • Understanding how a 9-1-1 call is processed • See how our quality improvement processes are used
Critical Issues • Site • Funding • Curriculum development • Identification of instructors • Scheduling • Marketing • Time constraints
Curricula Topics • Orientation – 1 hour • Call Taking – 2 hours • Law Dispatching – 2 hours • Fire/Medical Dispatching – 2 hours • Quality Improvement – 1 hour • Sit Along Observation – 4 hours
Class Schedule • Three day program + observation • One evening a week for 3 weeks • 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. + 4 hour sit along • One day program + observation • One Saturday • 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. + 4 hour sit along
Required Sit Along Observation • Puts class into perspective • Establishes relevance • Scheduled at participants’ convenience • But within academy time restrictions • Coordinated with Lead Dispatchers • Minimize impact on Center
Marketing • First class by invitation • Establish credibility, support, recognition • Identify target areas • Media, Community organizations, Business owners, Local colleges, Applicants, Citizens • Methods • Press release, flyers, letters word-of-mouth
Our First Class – September 9, 1998 • One evening a week, 4 weeks • Invitation only • 43 invitations mailed • 5 actually showed up and completed the course
To Date • Averaged 2 classes per year • Completed 11 classes • Graduated 159 participants • Completed 1 Citizen’s Academy for 9-1-1 in Spanish • 17 graduates have become employees
The Next Step “Citizen’s Academy for 9-1-1” On-line Course
Purpose • Increase availability of course • Recognize time/family commitments • Re-target previous Citizen’s Academy applicants that could not attend • Target job applicants • Citizen’s with limited mobility
Content • Follows the classroom curriculum • Linear format • Interactive as possible