Policy

Policy 1. The Emergency Telecommunications Training Program created the Board for the primary purpose of developing and implementing guidelines for the selection and training of emergency communicators. Accordingly, the legislature mandated that the Board authorize, but only from such funds authorized and appropriated by the Legislature, the reimbursement of all expenses associated with successful completion of such training. These include salary, allowable tuition, lodging, meals, and travel expenses (if applicable). Reimbursement is authorized only for those agencies and subdivisions of the state who are in compliance with all provisions of the Act to include those policies and procedures established by the Board pursuant to the ACT. Mississippi Code 19-5-355 (1) and 19-5-357 (5) and (6). A. While all expenses incurred for the completion of certification and re-certification training shall be fully reimbursed, if at any time a shortage of appropriated funds may become an issue, the priority for reimbursement funding shall be in the following order: 1. Basic and EMD training; 2. Mandated re-certification training; 3. Elective re-certification training; and 4. Advanced instructor training. B. Reimbursement shall be allowable for telecommunicators in attendance at board- approved training programs established at such agencies or institutions as the board may deem appropriate within one hundred-fifty (150) miles from the telecommunicator’s agency. A justifiable written explanation must be provided to the Board requesting approval for reimbursement of training one hundred-fifty (150) miles or more from the telecommunicator’s agency. Only allowable tuition may be reimbursed for training over 150 miles without prior approval. C. A host agency/instructor must submit a “Course Certification Request” form to the Board for pre-approval of a course, course location and estimated costs. This information must be sent thirty (30) days prior to the date of the course. If a course must be cancelled or rescheduled the host agency/instructor must notify in writing the Board and any pre-registered students five (5) working days prior to the set date of the course. All approved courses will be posted on the Board’s Training Calendar. D. The employing agencies of course students must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible to receive reimbursement: 1. Agency must be an organization of the state or a political subdivision of the state; 2. Telecommunicators attending training must work a minimum of eight (8) hours within a 30-day period; 3. Agency must have adhered to the selection and training standards established by the board; 4. All administrative requirements must have been completed pursuant to this Policy and Procedures Manual to include all forms completed in full; these include the Application for Certification (Parts I, II and III), and the Reimbursement Worksheet; and 5. Agency must have settled all accounts with the institution or location where training was conducted. E. For the duration of training, the academy or institution shall be the assigned place of duty. Allowable costs of training as established by the Board are as follows: 1. Tuition costs shall be reimbursed at an amount set by the Board. The Board will review the costs for the training programs every six months and make any adjustments to the tuition allowance as needed. Tuition allowance includes all costs relating to instruction, such as, training materials, supplies, facility costs and instructor expenses. 2. Subsistence costs, which include lodging and meals, shall be eligible for complete reimbursement as long as they do not exceed the maximum daily allowance permitted under state law. Lodging prior to the first day of training is not reimbursable. If tuition costs include meals, there will be no additional meal reimbursement unless a justifiable written explanation is provided to the Board. Receipts for lodging and meals must be provided with the “Request for Reimbursement” form. 3. The authorized base salary of emergency telecommunicator students and instructors are eligible for reimbursement for the period of the training courses. The salaries shall be computed based on the gross weekly salary of the most recent full month prior to course completion. Reimbursement includes compensation for a standard 40-hour week and will only be authorized for salaries paid for the performance of telecommunications duties. Courses completed after one-year from date of hire or after the three-year certification period will not be reimbursed salary costs. 4. Travel expenses shall be determined by multiplying the standard state mileage rate times the mileage for one round trip (and subsequent round trips if commuting). Agencies with more than one student enrolled in a course will be expected to car- pool (up to four people per vehicle) and will receive travel for one vehicle. 5. The board shall provide training reimbursement for required mandated training only if the training program completed satisfies the requirements. The board will designate the appropriate training program for certification purposes. If an applicant completes a course other than the designated course, the applicant will not be certified, and the agency will not be reimbursed for training costs. Note: All out of state travel must be approved in writing by the Board prior to attending requested course. 6. Only successfully completed board-approved training programs are allowable. The following programs and their areas of specialty have been approved by the Board. a. Either the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) 40- Hour Basic course or the National Emergency Communications Institute (NECI) 40-Hour Basic course, or the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) 40-Hour Basic course is required to be certified as a telecommunicator. b. Either the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) 24-Hour, the APCO EMD 32-Hour, or the NECI EMD 24-Hour program and CPR certification is required, along with an approved 40-Hour Basic course to be certified as an Emergency Medical telecommunicator. c. The Mississippi Emergency Telecommunications 16-Hour Orientation Course is required to be certified as a telecommunicator. d. TCPR is required to be certified as a telecommunicator. e.d. Elective training is required to be completed any time within the three-year certification period. Those courses or training exercises not normally offered by approved vendors shall be requested for approval by the Board staff in advance. 7. The Board will not reimburse the training costs of partially completed training or failed training. Telecommunicators may return after additional preparation to attempt to complete the course requirements. Reimbursement of training costs of conferences or seminars offering multiple subject courses will be adjusted based on the telecommunicator’s attendance record.