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Occupation AtlasPublic Safety Telecommunicators

O*NET · 43-5031.00

Public Safety Telecommunicators

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 called 911 Dispatcher · 911 Emergency Dispatcher · 911 Emergency Services Dispatcher · 911 Operator · 911 Telecommunicator · Alarm Operator · Ambulance Dispatcher · Call Person
42 more

Call Taker · Communications Dispatcher · Communications Officer · Communications Operator · Communications Specialist · Dispatch Officer · Dispatch Operator · Dispatch Specialist · Dispatch Tech · Dispatch Technician (Dispatch Tech) · Dispatcher · ECO · EMD · Emergency Communications Dispatcher · Emergency Communications Officer (ECO) · Emergency Communications Operator (ECO) · Emergency Dispatcher · Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) · Emergency Operator · Emergency Services Dispatcher · Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher (ETD) · Emergency Vehicle Dispatcher · ETD · Fire Dispatcher · Fire Fighters Dispatcher · Forest Fire Fighters Dispatcher · Police and Fire Dispatcher · Police Communications Dispatcher · Police Communications Operator · Police Dispatcher · Police Radio Dispatcher · Police Telecommunicator · Protective Signal Operator · Public Safety Dispatcher · Public Safety Telecommunicator · Radio Dispatcher · Security Dispatch Officer · Security Dispatcher · Telecommunications Officer · Telecommunications Operator · Telecommunications Specialist · Telecommunicator

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code CRS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Flight Attendants

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CRSConventional · Realistic · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional5.52
  • R Realistic4.33
  • S Social3.65
  • I Investigative2.91
  • E Enterprising2.89
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent63%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate11%
  • Some College Courses11%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10%
  • Bachelor's Degree5%
Related work experience
None (59%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (26%)
On-the-job training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (36%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic4.44.0Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Speakingbasic4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Social Perceptiveness3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Coordination3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Service Orientation3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Complex Problem Solving3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Monitoringbasic3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Persuasion3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Convince a supervisor to purchase new office equipment
  • Active Learningbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
Show the other 23
  • Instructing3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Writingbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Negotiation2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Time Management2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Systems Analysis2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Operations Monitoring2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Troubleshooting2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Systems Evaluation2.02.3Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Quality Control Analysis2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Mathematicsbasic2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Operations Analysis2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Management of Material Resources2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Operation and Control2.01.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Programming1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Write a program to sort objects in a database
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Repairing1.60.6
  • Equipment Selection1.50.8
  • Equipment Maintenance1.50.6
  • Sciencebasic1.40.4
  • Installation1.1—

Tasks

16 core · 2 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed.4.9
  2. Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.4.9
  3. Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures.4.8
  4. 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.4.8
  5. Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.4.7
  6. Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.4.7
  7. Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations.4.7
  8. Enter, update, and retrieve information from teletype networks and computerized data systems regarding such things as wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, and stolen vehicles.4.6
  9. Maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials.4.6
  10. Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions.4.6
  11. Scan status charts and computer screens, and contact emergency response field units to determine emergency units available for dispatch.4.5
  12. Answer routine inquiries, and refer calls not requiring dispatches to appropriate departments and agencies.4.5
Show the other 6
  1. Learn material and pass required tests for certification.4.4
  2. Observe alarm registers and scan maps to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area.4.3
  3. Maintain files of information relating to emergency calls, such as personnel rosters and emergency call-out and pager files.4.2
  4. Test and adjust communication and alarm systems, and report malfunctions to maintenance units.4.0
  5. Operate and maintain mobile dispatch vehicles and equipment.4.6
  6. Monitor alarm systems to detect emergencies, such as fires and illegal entry into establishments.4.3

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Public Safety and Security4.94.3Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Law and Government4.64.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • English Language4.54.8Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Telecommunications4.54.1Level 4 looks like: Install a wireless internet router
  • Customer and Personal Service4.46.4Level 7 looks like: Respond to a citizen's request for assistance after a major disaster
  • Geography4.33.6Level 4 looks like: Find a specific country on a world map
  • Communications and Media4.24.3Level 4 looks like: Host a music radio show
  • Computers and Electronics4.04.7Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
Show all 33
  • Administrative3.94.8Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Education and Training3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Psychology3.44.7Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Personnel and Human Resources3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants for an administrative position
  • Therapy and Counseling3.23.9Level 4 looks like: Provide job counseling to the unemployed
  • Administration and Management3.12.7
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.72.6
  • Production and Processing2.61.9Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Medicine and Dentistry2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Transportation2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Philosophy and Theology2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Foreign Language2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Mathematics1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Economics and Accounting1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Mechanical1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Chemistry1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Design1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Engineering and Technology1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • History and Archeology1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Sales and Marketing1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Building and Construction1.30.4Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Physics1.3—
  • Biology1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Expression4.44.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Oral Comprehension4.34.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Speech Clarity4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Problem Sensitivity4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Selective Attention3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Speech Recognition3.94.6Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Deductive Reasoning3.83.9
  • Information Ordering3.83.8Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
Show all 52
  • Written Comprehension3.83.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Inductive Reasoning3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Near Vision3.33.9
  • Time Sharing3.33.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Written Expression3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Auditory Attention3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Flexibility of Closure3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Fluency of Ideas3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Speed of Closure3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Memorization2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Recite the first names of the five people you just met
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Originality2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Far Vision2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Finger Dexterity2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Reaction Time2.51.9Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Manual Dexterity2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.32.4Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Visualization2.32.9Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Response Orientation2.12.0Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Trunk Strength2.11.4Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Depth Perception2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Multilimb Coordination2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Number Facility2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Extent Flexibility1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Static Strength1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Gross Body Coordination1.50.5
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.50.5
  • Stamina1.50.5Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Dynamic Strength1.40.5
  • Explosive Strength1.40.4
  • Rate Control1.40.4Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.40.4
  • Spatial Orientation1.3—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.1—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Working with Computers4.94.4Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization4.85.6
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.85.1Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Getting Information4.64.5Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Processing Information4.55.1Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.45.3Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.45.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.45.1Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
Show all 41
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.45.4Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.25.0Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.14.3Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.04.7Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing Administrative Activities4.04.4Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.95.0Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.84.9Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.74.6Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Training and Teaching Others3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.54.4Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Developing and Building Teams3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.34.0Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Staffing Organizational Units3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Interview candidates for a sales position and make hiring recommendations
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Thinking Creatively3.23.8Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.72.8
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.72.6
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Handling and Moving Objects2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Change settings on copy machines
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.01.0Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Performing General Physical Activities2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Walk between workstations in a small office
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others5.0
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General5.0
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0
  • Spend Time Sitting5.0
  • Telephone Conversations5.0
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks4.9
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.8
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.8
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.8
  • Conflict Situations4.7

Technology

18 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (2)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (6; 2 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software
Other tools (10)
  • 911 system information databases
  • Computer aided dispatch software
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Geographic information system GIS systems
  • Intrado SchoolMessenger
  • Law enforcement information databases
  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
  • National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System NLETS
  • Spillman Technologies Spillman Computer-Aided Dispatch
  • Web browser software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
  2. Emergency Medical Technicians
  3. Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
  4. Paramedics
  5. First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers
  6. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
  7. Transit and Railroad Police
  8. Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
  9. Airfield Operations Specialists
  10. Telephone Operators

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.