Public Safety Telecommunicators

/ $50K-$80K, Career Discovery, Conventional (Organizers), High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED), Realistic (Doers)

Career Overview

Operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers. Take information from the public and other sources regarding crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters. May coordinate and provide information to law enforcement and emergency response personnel. May access sensitive databases and other information sources as needed. May provide additional instructions to callers based on knowledge of and certification in law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical procedures.

Also Known As

  • Communications Officer
  • Communications Operator
  • Public Safety Dispatcher
  • Telecommunicator

Alternate Job Titles

  • 911 Dispatcher
  • 911 Emergency Dispatcher
  • 911 Emergency Services Dispatcher
  • 911 Operator
  • 911 Telecommunicator
  • Alarm Operator
  • Ambulance Dispatcher
  • Call Person
  • Call Taker
  • Communications Dispatcher
  • Communications Officer
  • Communications Operator
  • Communications Specialist
  • Dispatch Officer
  • Dispatch Operator

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.
  • Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed.
  • Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures.
  • Receive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city.
  • Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.
  • Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.
  • Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • Public Safety and Security
  • Law and Government
  • English Language
  • Telecommunications
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Geography
  • Communications and Media
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Administrative
  • Education and Training

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

  1. Active Listening
  2. Speaking
  3. Social Perceptiveness
  4. Critical Thinking
  5. Coordination
  6. Service Orientation
  7. Reading Comprehension

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Oral Expression
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Speech Clarity
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Selective Attention
  • Speech Recognition
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Information Ordering
  • Written Comprehension
  • Inductive Reasoning

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Self-Control
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Relationships
  • Support
  • Achievement
  • Independence
  • Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software

Tools & Equipment

  • Automatic call distributing ACD consoles
  • Base station radios
  • Desktop computers
  • Digital recording equipment
  • Intercom systems
  • Mainframe computers
  • Mainframe terminals
  • Mobile data computers
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Personal computers
  • Radio scanners
  • Switchboards
  • Telecommunication devices TDD
  • Teletype terminals
  • Two way radios

Work Environment

  • Telephone Conversations
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  • Contact With Others
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
  • Spend Time Sitting

Salary & Job Market

Salary PercentileAnnual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)$35,640
Median$50,730
Top Earners (90th percentile)$78,110

Workers Employed Nationally: 101,140

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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