A Career As a Dispatcher

Dispatching As a Career

Dispatchers are communications personnel responsible for receiving and transmitting pure and reliable messages, tracking vehicles and equipment, and recording other important information. A number of organizations, including police and fire departments, emergency medical services, taxicab providers, trucking companies, train stations, and public utility companies, use dispatchers to relay information and coordinate their operations. Essentially, the dispatcher is the "conductor" of the force, and is responsible for the direction of all units within it.

Public safety dispatchers (also known as emergency dispatchers, Telecommunicators or 9-1-1 dispatchers) receive calls from individuals who need assistance from Firefighters, Police Officers, and Emergency Medical Services. Once information is obtained from the caller, these dispatchers activate the services necessary to respond to the nature of the call for help. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 36% of all dispatchers employed in the United States in 2004 were public safety dispatchers. At Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi this is also the category 9-1-1 dispatchers are placed in the event of an aircraft emergency or crash.

Transportation and service dispatcher is the term used for individuals who coordinate transportation schedules and delivery of materials. Truck dispatchers are employed by trucking companies. Bus and train dispatchers monitor the schedules of their respective transportation services and address any problems that arise during their operations. Dispatchers who respond to vehicles for emergency roadside assistance are called tow-truck dispatchers. Gas and water dispatchers accept calls for emergencies with utilities. Amazingly enough, another type of dispatcher listed within this heading is the dispatcher who schedules and directs special agents in the transportation of prisoners across the United States.

A flight dispatcher is a person responsible for planning and monitoring the progress of an aircraft journey. In airline operations, both the pilot in command and the dispatcher are legally responsible for the safety of a flight. A dispatcher has the authority to delay, divert or cancel a flight at any time, and a flight cannot be released without the signature of both the pilot in command and the dispatcher.

A dispatcher of this type typically must be licensed by the aviation authority of a country. In order to obtain the license, the candidate must demonstrate extensive knowledge in meteorology and aviation, to a level that is comparable to that of an airline transport pilot license.

Employment as a dispatcher does not usually require a level of education higher than a high school diploma. Employers prefer candidates with computer and clerical skills, communication skills, and fast ability to work under pressure.

Candidates for employment as public safety dispatchers may be required to pass written, oral, or performance tests and are governed by state or local regulations. Public safety dispatchers may also have to obtain certifications and attend additional training before they are employed by state or local governments to dispatch for police, fire, or emergency medical services. The level of training required for these dispatchers is typically the most extensive in comparison to other dispatch positions.

A standard certification requirement for public safety dispatchers is Terminal Operator certification for access to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database system. Access to this database system often allows additional access to the state-level system comparable to NCIC which allows public safety dispatchers to access motor vehicle registration and drivers license information as well as wants or warrants by various law enforcement agencies both statewide and national. The cost of this certification training is in the range of $400.00 and has to be renewed yearly. Most law enforcement and ambulance agencies pay this expense. On military installations, however, the employee is responsible for this expense.

In addition to certifications, specialized training is also required or appropriated to public safety dispatchers. As public safety dispatchers are the first contact made between the public and emergency services, public safety dispatchers need to be able to extract a vast array of information out of the caller. Such specialized training can include: suicide intervention, hostage negotiation, bomb threats, tactical dispatching (for SWAT teams), domestic violence and domestic and foreign terrorism countermeasures. Many are also trained as Emergency Medical Dispatchers, able to give first aid instructions to victims or families prior to EMS arrival.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 266,000 people were employed as dispatchers in 2004.[1] Employment for dispatcher is projected to grow as fast as the average (an increase of 9 to 17 percent) through the year 2014. In addition, it is expected that a number of current dispatchers will either transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force, which will result in an increase of openings.

Narrowing the selection of being a dispatcher to a dispatcher for Police, Fire, and Medical Emergencies entail certain personality traits as well as formal training. This person should have a desire to assist at all costs, be able to multi-task, and remain calm at all costs. Negligence to do so could lead to death and formal manslaughter charges being brought against the dispatcher unable to give proper direction.

Any experience as a police officer, security guard, extradition agent, or training of any kind in the medical field is not required. However, this form of experience can prove invaluable to a dispatcher when dispatching in a life threatening situation. It also yields a measure of understanding that cannot be obtained by reading or studying.

While this is a career that offers personal satisfaction of helping others to the point of saving lives, as a general rule it doesn’t pay well. In Mississippi, a 9-1-1 dispatcher can expect to start off with a salary of $8.00 per hour increasing from fifty to seventy-five cents per hour after a six month probation period. They normally are offered medical insurance, a retirement plan, and paid vacation time.

This same dispatcher on a military installation can expect to earn from $9.00 per hour to $16.00 per hour. They also are given medical insurance and paid vacation. While this is substantially more salary, it comes with a price. This job is done year to year on a contract basis and can be eliminated as such.

The hours worked are varied according to the agency worked for in this career. They range from eight hours daily Monday through Friday to twelve hour shifts working on seven days, off seven days. This job is a necessary position seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. That makes it a position that is always required in every community across the nation.

This job can be slow-paced from time to time. However, it can also be exciting and filled with anxiety at times when dealing with catastrophic events such as an act of terrorism, hurricanes or other acts of nature, life-threatening medical emergencies or a scared child.

It takes someone with a desire to solve problems, ability to perform under a magnitude of stress at times, and empathy for others needs to be a dedicated professional 9-1-1 communication officer.