MO TERT

MISSOURI TELECOMMUNICATOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE TASKFORCE (TERT) COMMITTEE:

After a disaster has devastated areas in our state, public safety communications centers have faced many challenges, staffing being one of the greatest challenges. To help address this problem, APCO International and NENA have joined hands and developed a widespan taskforce, known as the Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT). This taskforce involves a comprehensive program that provides assistance in developing a program that would lead a trained and predetermined team of telecommunicators who can be mobilized quickly and deploy them to assist PSAPs during the disasters.

To be prepared for future disasters, MO TERT recommends that centers be prepared for inoperable systems, as well as loss of power, security, and even personnel. Centers should focus on training and planning for restoration, multi-agency response and evacuation. With the training and planning, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between each center and MO TERT is recommended to be in place in case assistance is needed.

Individual telecommunicators that would like to join MO TERT are required to fill out a member form, along with provide a recommendation letter from their supervisor approving that they support the member, should they be deployed.

For further inquiries, please reach out to Kallie Turner (Contact Info Below):

Kallie Turner

MO TERT State Coordinator

Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Office

P.O. Box 1031

Caruthersville, MO 63830

573-333-4101 Ext 103 Office

573-326-0660 Cell 

573-333-0713 Fax

Kallie.turner@motert.org

MO TERT Committee Members

Download MOU Sample

Training Requirements include: 

• 2 years’ experience as a Public Safety Telecommunicator

• Agency background check (DOLCEE form or equivalent) 

• FEMA ICS 100

• TERT Basic Awareness Course

• TERT Team Leader Course (if applicable) 

• FEMA ICS 200

• FEMA NIMS 700 

• FEMA NIMS 800 (Team Leader)

For eligibility, a member must fill out the application and have a supervisor write a letter of recommendation. This is to ensure that the appropriate agency is supportive and accepting of time being taken for deployments when needed. 

A MOU for agencies are highly recommended to have in place with MO TERT at all times, not just when it is needed. In order for assistance to be sent to an area, a MOU has to be in place beforehand. This ensures that agencies are aware of what is expected not only at an agency stand point, but for what is expected for the personnel being sent to them as well.