Suicidal Callers TCOLE #5307

Details Price Qty
Telecommunicatorshow details + $0.00 USD  

  • Telecommunicator
     August 6, 2025
     8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Capital Area Council of Governments - Cedar Training Room

Venue Phone: 512-916-6000

Venue Website:

Venue Address:
6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, CAPCOG Training Center, Austin, Texas, 78744, United States

Description:

Enter the classroom through the CAPCOG training entrance. This entrance is located under the metal awning near the main parking lot.

Walk down the long hallway to the room.  Signs will be posted to help with direction.

Suicidal callers are desperate and don’t know where to turn. When they call 9-1-1, it is imperative that the 9-1-1 Emergency Communication Professional can build rapport with the caller and gain valuable information for the responders to get the caller the help they need.

Course Length: 8 Hours
Equivalent to TCOLE Course Number: #5307

Learning Objectives:

The student will be able to discuss reasons people commit suicide.
The student will be able to define words associated with suicide.
The student will be able to recite important statistics regarding suicides.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The student will be able to list risk factors and warning signs for suicide.
The student will be able to discuss sudden improvement as a warning sign.
The student will be able to explain the different reasons for suicide among the elderly and the young. 7 .1 – The student will be able to recognize the stages of a crisis.
The student will be able to list ways to effectively handle suicidal callers.
The student will be able to explain ways to build rapport.
The student will be able to explain ways to locate a suicidal caller.
The student will be able to relate instructions for a person reporting a completed suicide.
The student will be able to discuss the potential for suicide by cop.
The student will be able to relate the danger of chemical suicide to responders.

Application:

Students will complete various worksheets covering course material. Students will listen to suicide related 9-1-1 calls and discuss the calls with the class.

Instructor: Tina Chaffin

Tina started her career with 9-1-1 in 1996 in Plano, Texas. Throughout childhood, Tina wanted to be a teacher. Sitting in classroom training on the first day of 9-1-1 training, she made a goal. The goal was to be the person who teaches 9-1- 1 Emergency Communication Professionals (ECPs). Tina is extremely passionate about the 9-1-1 profession and advocates for ECPs in many ways. Tina is the Past-President of the Texas 9-1-1 Trainer (TNT) group and has been involved with the group for over 15 years. Tina founded the National 9-1-1 Trainer Forum, holding a yearly conference for 9- 1-1 trainers from around the nation. Tina is also involved with APCO International Committees and has published numerous articles in the APCO Magazine. Tina firmly believes in the recognition of ECPs and pushes the topic every chance she gets. Recently Tina launched an online training site, intending to provide relevant, quality, low-cost training for ECPs around the United States.

Since 1996, Tina has worked as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, call-taker, and trainer for large and small cities alike. She also has experience working as a ECP at an International Airport and a 4-year college. Tina currently works in an Emergency Communications Center (ECC), dispatching police and fire, to ensure her skills are up-to-date.

Tina has provided classroom training for the majority of her career. Additionally, Tina has presented at National and State conferences throughout the US. In addition to working in an ECC, Tina currently trains an average of 650 hours per year.

Licenses/Certifications:

  • NENA Emergency Number Professional (ENP)
  • APCO Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL)
  • Master Telecommunicator License
  • Advanced TCOLE Instructor
  • Texas DPS TCIC/TLETS Instructor
  • Instructor for National Center for Missing and Exploited Children course for ECPs

Special Instructions:

Dress Code: To promote a professional training environment, CAPCOG requires proper attire.  Attendee must provide their PID # to receive TCOLE credit for courses taken through CAPCOG. CAPCOG provides training for the Emergency Communication Centers (ECC) in our region at no cost to 9-1-1 telecommunicators and their departments. When space is reserved for a 9-1-1 training class offered by CAPCOG, students or the supervisor who made the reservation must cancel such reservation at least two business days prior to start of the class.

For Questions

Contact Pamela Frisk, CAPCOG. 9-1-1 Training & Public Education Coordinator.