The grant comes from the West Virginia Community and Technical College System and will allow the college to provide training courses in partnership with the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International.
West Virginia Northern Community College has received a Rapid Response Advance Grant in the amount of $147,000 from the West Virginia Community and Technical College System. The grant will allow the college to work in partnership with the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International to provide training for individuals who are public safety telecommunicators, including those who work as 911 dispatchers and other emergency responders.
According to an article on West Virginia Northern Community College’s website, Dr. Mosser, the president of the college, was quoted as saying of the partnership between the college and the APCO, “This is exactly what community colleges do best, and what makes Northern so valuable to this region. Our Workforce Department is exceptional at identifying critical needs in our community and delivering top-notch training. Partnering with APCO International is just one example of the outstanding work our Continuing Education and Workforce Development team is doing to make an impact.”
West Virginia Northern Community College will use the grant funding to provide non-credit training courses to help current 911 dispatchers, EMTs, firefighters, and law enforcement officers upskill in emergency communications. Participating individuals will learn crisis negotiation, cybersecurity, tactical dispatch, and disaster operation skills, among others. While the training will initially be available in the counties surrounding the college, it plans to expand access to the training courses to other chapters of APCO in North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Maryland.
Karri Mulhern, who serves as the vice president for continuing education and workforce development at the college, said of the grant funding, “This partnership with APCO International is a powerful step forward in workforce development for our public safety community. Thanks to this Advance Grant, we can provide life-saving training that not only enhances skills but also improves job retention, strengthens local 911 centers, and increases community safety across multiple states.”
The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International is an organization of professionals of public safety communications. The worldwide organization provides training, professional development opportunities, and advocacy for those working in law enforcement, fire, and EMS, among other emergency and public safety services.
Courses are currently scheduled for September, October, and December, with courses for 2026 to be scheduled in the near future.
For more information about West Virginia Northern Community College, visit the school’s website.