1. What is another term for communications center dispatchers?
A. Call originators
B. Telecommunicators
C. Public interface officials
D. Signals technicians

2. Where can a complete list of qualifications for telecommunicator candidates be found?
A. In the Telegraphy and Signal Operator’s Handbook, 19th ed.
B. In the FSTC publication Protocols for Dispatchers
C. In FAA Circular 23-FG: 1996, rev. 1999
D. In the applicable NFPA standard

3. What does the A stand for in CAD?
A. Aided
B. Automatic
C. Auxiliary
D. Ancillary

4. What does the P stand for in GPS?
A. Positioning
B. Potential
C. Personnel
D. Preventive

5. What is an MDT?
A. A type of vehicle
B. A type of computer
C. A type of government report
D. A medical appliance

6. What is the telecommunicator’s first responsibility?
A. To obtain the information that is required to dispatch the appropriate units to the correct location
B. To reassure the caller that help will be forthcoming shortly and that his/her problem can be dealt with
C. To provide the caller with real-time, emergency instructions such as how to perform CPR
D. To ascertain the exact type of event that the caller is reporting

7. What does the A stand for in PSAP?
A. Alerting
B. Activating
C. Auxiliary
D. Answering

8. Determining exactly which units to send to a call depends on the location of the incident and:
A. the time since last response (TSLR) of the nearest units.
B. the time lapse between call receipt and dispatch.
C. the classification of the incident.
D. the identity of the caller.

9. What type of system(s) do fire departments use to dispatch to the units?
A. They use a dedicated telephone trunk line system only
B. They use standard telephone service in the community only
C. They use different systems ranging from telephone to radio
D. They use encrypted, reserved-band short-wave radio only

10. What type of listening is required by a telecommunicator to draw out all the necessary information from a caller who may be excited, confused, or dealing with a language barrier?
A. Selective
B. Active
C. Modal
D. Presumptive

11. What is the usual response when a caller disconnects before full information can be gathered and the dispatcher cannot re-connect by calling the caller back?
A. Log the incident and wait for them to call back
B. Send a full complement of responses, police, EMS, and fire
C. Send a police unit to check on the caller
D. Lock the caller’s phone line so that the next time it is picked up it will again ring to the 9-1-1 center

12. What does the ANI feature of enhanced 9-1-1 do?
A. Provide the caller’s identity
B. Lock the caller’s phone open
C. Show the caller’s phone number
D. Provide access to real-time language translation

13. What should call-takers do if a call comes in that is about issues not handled by the fire department?
A. Try to direct the caller to the appropriate agency, even providing contact information if available
B. Take the caller’s information and advise him/her that this is a non-criminal offense for which there will be a small fine
C. Quickly and politely tell the caller this is not a fire department issue and hang up to free up the line
D. Transfer the call immediately to the ANP recording for inappropriate calls

14. How do ANI and ALI features of enhanced 9-1-1 systems perform with wireless calls?
A. They work normally, the same as with hard-wired phones.
B. ANI works but ALI is disabled.
C. They can give erratic information or not work at all.
D. ALI works nominally, but ANI gives false readings.

15. What are TDD and TTY?
A. Location finders on so-called smart, enhanced 9-1-1
B. Routers that allow calling the 9-1-1 system in another city
C. Devices to help hearing-impaired people use telephones
D. Chips that go into PDAs and PCs respectively, to allow them to call 9-1-1

16. The ADA requires that communications centers be able to receive calls by voice communication and what other medium?
A. Morse code
B. Walk-in
C. Radio transmission
D. Text message

17. What does the D stand for in ADA?
A. Dangerous
B. Disabilities
C. Distressed
D. Directional

18. How, if at all, does the Canadian 9-1-1 system differ from the American?
A. Canada does not have such a system; callers must dial 7-digit numbers.
B. Calls to 9-1-1 in Canada will be answered in French.
C. In Canada, callers must dial 9-9-9.
D. Both systems are essentially the same.

19. What is the term for a two-way radio that is permanently mounted in a vehicle?
A. A mobile radio
B. A portable radio
C. A base station
D. A repeater

20. What does the PTT button on a two-way radio do?
A. Mute background radio noise
B. Enable communications with the hearing-impaired
C. Cause the radio to transmit
D. Send out a distress signal and location

I am kinda curious how many of you out there could pass a pop quiz?