APCO UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS COMPLETE STUDY
GUIDE
●● List and describe the six components of the communications cycle
Answer: The sender: the person who initiates the conversation
Receiver: The target of the conversation. Can be a person or group.
Message: THe idea/purpose of the conversation
Medium: The form in which the message is transferred between the
sender and receiver.
Context: The situation in which the exchange takes place, this includes
the relationship between the sender and receiver.
Feedback: The response from the receiver to the sender as perceived by
the receiver
●● Define active listening
Answer: Showing interest and understanding in the conversation through
a means of physical and verbal cues
●● Define open-ended questions and give an example
Answer: Questions that require a response beyond a "yes" or "no"
forcing the receiver to provide more information. Ex: "How did this
happen?"
,●● Define "in progress" calls.
Answer: Those with an imminent threat to life or property and require an
immediate dispatch
●● Define "just occurred" calls.
Answer: There is no immediate threat to life or property
●● Define "delayed" calls.
Answer: When the time of occurrence is unknown and the incident
requires a report or investigation
●● Define "abduction/kidnapping"
Answer: The forcible taking of a person or persons against their will,
sometimes with the goal of demanding a ransom or other type of
compensation for their return.
●● Explain what the word telematics refers to
Answer: The technology and industry involved in delivering location
based services to consumer driven vehicles.
●● Explain the AMBER Alert system and how it works.
Answer: A nationwide system that is organized under state or regional
plans for the purpose of assisting in the recovery of abducted or
,endangered children. It uses the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to
broadcast a description of the missing child and the suspected abductor
throughout the affected community and neighbouring areas.
●● Define paraphrasing and give an example.
Answer: A short restatement of a previous statement showing
understanding. Ex: Sender: "He has a gun!" Receiver: "So you say he
has a gun?"
●● Define reflecting feelings and give an example.
Answer: A short statement restating the feelings or emotions of the
sender. Ex: "I understand that you're feeling scared"
●● List the common traps that may prevent or discourage active
listening.
Answer: Conversation overload
Personal preoccupation
Rate of thought
Noise
Assumptions
●● Explain why it is important that telecommunicators use clear speech
and proper diction.
, Answer: It allows for a better understanding of the situation for both the
receiver and the sender.
●● Explain the difference between an observation and an inference.
Answer: An observation is the act of recording true facts and events
whilst an inference is the coming to a conclusion based on something
known or assumed.
●● Describe how a telecommunicator can provide good customer
service.
Answer: Focussing on the caller, receiving the call, being approachable,
expressing empathy, being responsive, being friendly, flexible, reliable,
and fast.
●● List the technologies telematics integrates
Answer: Emergency key press , automatic crash notification calls and
vehicle location assistance.
●● Describe the important dispatch factors for motor vehicle
accidents/wrecks
Answer: Apparent injuries, the presence of flames, smoke visible or fuel
spill, and if anyone is trapped or pinned inside the vehicle.
●● Define "hit and run"
CORRECT ANSWERS COMPLETE STUDY
GUIDE
●● List and describe the six components of the communications cycle
Answer: The sender: the person who initiates the conversation
Receiver: The target of the conversation. Can be a person or group.
Message: THe idea/purpose of the conversation
Medium: The form in which the message is transferred between the
sender and receiver.
Context: The situation in which the exchange takes place, this includes
the relationship between the sender and receiver.
Feedback: The response from the receiver to the sender as perceived by
the receiver
●● Define active listening
Answer: Showing interest and understanding in the conversation through
a means of physical and verbal cues
●● Define open-ended questions and give an example
Answer: Questions that require a response beyond a "yes" or "no"
forcing the receiver to provide more information. Ex: "How did this
happen?"
,●● Define "in progress" calls.
Answer: Those with an imminent threat to life or property and require an
immediate dispatch
●● Define "just occurred" calls.
Answer: There is no immediate threat to life or property
●● Define "delayed" calls.
Answer: When the time of occurrence is unknown and the incident
requires a report or investigation
●● Define "abduction/kidnapping"
Answer: The forcible taking of a person or persons against their will,
sometimes with the goal of demanding a ransom or other type of
compensation for their return.
●● Explain what the word telematics refers to
Answer: The technology and industry involved in delivering location
based services to consumer driven vehicles.
●● Explain the AMBER Alert system and how it works.
Answer: A nationwide system that is organized under state or regional
plans for the purpose of assisting in the recovery of abducted or
,endangered children. It uses the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to
broadcast a description of the missing child and the suspected abductor
throughout the affected community and neighbouring areas.
●● Define paraphrasing and give an example.
Answer: A short restatement of a previous statement showing
understanding. Ex: Sender: "He has a gun!" Receiver: "So you say he
has a gun?"
●● Define reflecting feelings and give an example.
Answer: A short statement restating the feelings or emotions of the
sender. Ex: "I understand that you're feeling scared"
●● List the common traps that may prevent or discourage active
listening.
Answer: Conversation overload
Personal preoccupation
Rate of thought
Noise
Assumptions
●● Explain why it is important that telecommunicators use clear speech
and proper diction.
, Answer: It allows for a better understanding of the situation for both the
receiver and the sender.
●● Explain the difference between an observation and an inference.
Answer: An observation is the act of recording true facts and events
whilst an inference is the coming to a conclusion based on something
known or assumed.
●● Describe how a telecommunicator can provide good customer
service.
Answer: Focussing on the caller, receiving the call, being approachable,
expressing empathy, being responsive, being friendly, flexible, reliable,
and fast.
●● List the technologies telematics integrates
Answer: Emergency key press , automatic crash notification calls and
vehicle location assistance.
●● Describe the important dispatch factors for motor vehicle
accidents/wrecks
Answer: Apparent injuries, the presence of flames, smoke visible or fuel
spill, and if anyone is trapped or pinned inside the vehicle.
●● Define "hit and run"
