
Emergency Communications
Overview
Be the lifeline in every crisis: become an Emergency Communications Professional.
Are you calm under pressure, quick-thinking, and driven to help others? A career in Emergency Communications could be your calling.
Emergency Communications professionals are the first, first responders. Whether it’s a medical emergency, a fire, or a law enforcement situation, you are the voice on the line – guiding callers through their most critical moments and dispatching help when seconds count.
If you’re looking for a career that combines compassion, communication, and critical thinking – Emergency Communications may be exactly where you belong.
Who Thrives in this Role?
- Clear Communicators
- You can listen attentively, speak calmly, and give instructions clearly, even under stress.
- Multi-Taskers
- You thrive in fast-paced environments and can manage multiple tasks at once without losing focus.
- Problem-Solvers
- You think quickly, assess situations with limited information, and make sound decisions fast.
- Empathetic Professionals
- You care deeply and know how to provide calm reassurance during chaos.
- Reliable & Resilient Individuals
- You show up when others need you most and stay composed under emotional pressure.
Admission Requirements
O.S.S.D. or equivalent with:
- Grade 12 English C or U
Mature Student Assessment for this program is available in the subject of English for the purpose of demonstrating proficiency in this required admission subject. For all other admission requirements, applicants must complete the required course(s) as listed above. For more information, please contact counselling@lambtoncollege.ca. Review the Mature Student Admission process.
Academic admission requirements can be obtained through Academic Upgrading and the Pre-Programs at Lambton College.
Costs
The courses listed below can be taken one at a time or learners can register for up to three courses per term.
Each course is billed individually. If you are pursuing a diploma, be sure to contact online@lambtoncollege.ca to ensure you meet the admission requirements.
Technology Requirements
In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, Lambton College requires that each student have access to a laptop while studying at our college.
Courses
Please Note: All courses marked with an * are pre-requisites for EMRF-1003 Field Placement.
Mandatory Courses
In this course students learn keyboarding techniques using various methods. Keyboarding speed and accuracy are emphasized. Proofreading and editing documents is covered. Research about Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD))and proper ergonomics is included. The student should be able to achieve a minimum speed of 25 net words per minute (nwpm) with 98% accuracy, with frequent practice.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Follow the directions provided in this free mini-course (on myLambton D2L) to register for the APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator- Canada course. This is completed directly through APCO International. Upon successful completion (*A grade of 80% on the final exam is required to receive the APCO certificate), students receive certification, which must be uploaded to the dropbox in this course.
This course is designed to introduce the participants to the fundamental concepts of Canada's legal system. The students will learn how laws are defined, created, implemented and interpreted to provide solutions to problems. Various Acts impacting emergency communications will be examined and "on the job" implications explored.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
This course introduces students to the skills used to recognize the need for, and understand the steps to, effective crisis intervention as they apply to callers, family members, friends and co-workers. Emergency services providers, in particular, are exposed to Critical Incident Stress (CIS) situations that may lead to the need for interventions to mitigate/prevent the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The focus of this course is to make the student feel confident and competent in understanding and responding to a diverse range of crisis situations.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Develop the language required to communicate effectively in a medical setting. Medical terminology, word structure as well as diagnostic procedures and pharmacology related to twelve body systems will be studied.
Textbooks
The required text for this course can be found by going to textnet.ca, clicking on the "Browse by course" drop-down list and scrolling to Medical Terminology.
Please Note: Students are not required to purchase textbooks from textnet.ca. However, if students are purchasing textbooks from another source, they must ensure purchased textbooks are the correct edition and include any applicable software or add-ons.
Host Course Code: LO-HLTH8007Host Course Name: Medical Terminology
You will focus on topics pertaining to customer service and the achievement of equity in various social and work settings, including, but not limited to, race, gender, ethnicity and social orientations. This course will enable you to identify possible strategies for empowerment in the workplace.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
In this course, current social science paradigms and theories will be used as a framework for analysis of contemporary social issues relevant to vocations in police services. Topics such as crime, violence, abuse, social stratification, ageism, and racism will be included. The course focus will be on how individual behaviours collectively create social issues.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
This course focuses on a multi-disciplinary examination of the ways in which mental health and addiction are viewed by society and how these perceptions influence society's response to the practical and socio-political aspects of mental illness. Students will examine personal attitudes, societal myths, and stereotypes related to mental illness and addiction. Students will be challenged to critically reflect upon how their personal orientations and resulting behaviours about mental illness, addiction, and wellness impact their cultural, societal and political beliefs.
Drawing on literature, arts, politics, media, medicine, and the social sciences, students will critically examine mental illness and addiction as a social construct and contrast and compare assumptions of agency, normalcy, treatment, and recovery. Students will also learn firsthand from those with mental illness, evaluate the effects of mental illness in special populations including Indigenous people and the elderly, and apply their learning through health simulation activities. Finally, students will explore ways that those affected by mental illness and addiction construct and assess themselves.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Students are introduced to basic concepts of emergency management as practiced in Ontario and across Canada. The course includes the Province of Ontario's Basic Emergency Management (BEM) certification course curriculum addressing the core components (mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery) of emergency management. Instructed by a provincially certified Basic Emergency Management (BEM) facilitator, students meeting the provincial requirements will be given the opportunity to attain provincial certification in Basic Emergency Management.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
This course emphasizes the writing of effective business communications, including letters, memoranda, email, and short reports. Other tasks include applying proofreading and editing skills. These skills will prepare the student for the work environment, which requires practical business writing to be clear, correct, and concise. Students are introduced to the research process and develop critical thinking skills.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Working with victims of crime is a demanding profession. Students learn the principles of debriefing, self-care and stress management. Reflective activities and in-class discussions enable students to understand their personal strengths and limitations and to develop and critique personal strategies for managing occupational stress. Special attention is given to working within professional guidelines and to the creation of individual plans for professional development. Through examination of Victim Service Standards students develop knowledge of ethical codes, confidentiality and ongoing education that guide professional practice in victim services.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
A component of the Emergency Communications program, this course gives the student the opportunity to complete a placement in the environment in which they hope to make a career. High stress levels and demanding responsibilities are typical of careers in the Emergency Communications field. Students are responsible for finding a field placement in a workplace that aligns with the program. In this placement, the student is directly exposed to people, protocols and technologies in the field of Emergency Communications. Students must complete sixty (60) hours of field placement.
Students must contact the Online Education Office (online@lambtoncollege.ca) at least 6 months in advance of their desired placement start date.
Prerequisite(s):
- CPT-1133 Computer/Keyboarding Skills I
- EMR-1013 Emergency Management
- ENG-1244 Business English Skills I
- PED-1083 Stress, Wellness and Nutrition
- EMR-1003 APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator
- LSA-2063 Crisis Intervention
- LSA-2103 Canadian Law and Provincial Legislation
- PSY-1203 Interpersonal and Group Dynamics
- PHL-1213 Customer Service and Ethics
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Placement

Finding Placements
Students are required to arrange their own field placement opportunity.
Students must contact onlineplacement@lambtoncollege.ca at least six months in advance of their desired placement start date.
Passport to Placement Clearance
Students heading out on placement are required to complete the Passport to Placement clearance process before heading into a facility. Students considering this program should be aware that there are field and clinical placement requirements. Placement facilities may require students to have proof of certain vaccinations and police record checks.
Once you've applied, you can log in to mylambton.ca and view the program-specific Field & Clinical Placement Requirements. If you need information about these requirements before applying, please contact onlineplacement@lambtoncollege.ca.
More Information
Variations due to Section
Remember to review the important dates associated with this program - some deadlines may be different depending on how your program is delivered and what section you're enrolled in.
Technology Requirements
It is recommended that you use a Windows laptop for your coursework. While other devices like MacBooks or Chromebooks might work for some tasks, they may not support all the software required for your program. If you're unsure, check with your professors before buying.
Internet Speed Requirements
To get the best experience while learning online, we recommend having an internet connection with at least 40 Mbps download speed and 10 Mbps upload speed. This will help you use video calls, attend online lectures, and access other learning tools smoothly.
Because students live in many different areas, we can't suggest a specific internet provider. You'll need to check with local companies to find one that works best for you.
Laptop Requirements
In order to access the internet and virtually-delivered software and courseware, student laptops should include the following at a minimum. By meeting the following specifications, students will be equipped to access software and courseware on their laptop through the internet:
- Intel i5 8th Gen Processor or equivalent
- 8GB of RAM
- 100 GB HDD or more
- Webcam with a microphone
- Wi-Fi capable (802.11n/ac 5GHz)
- Windows 11 operating system
Mobile Device
Students will require a mobile device (smartphone) for:
- Accessing your digital student ID
- Using campus applications and services
Software
To ensure students are getting the most our of their classroom experience, some software will be required.
Lambton College has made this software easily accessible online. Students can leverage our Microsoft Office 365 software packages and services. In addition, much of the software you require for your courses will be available on demand for use on any device - on or off campus.