Public Safety Telecommunicators

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and SecurityO*NET 43-5031.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $53,031
Projected change: +6%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 105.25K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What public safety telecommunicators do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

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.
Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.
Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.
Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations.
Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions.
Maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials.
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.
Scan status charts and computer screens, and contact emergency response field units to determine emergency units available for dispatch.
Answer routine inquiries, and refer calls not requiring dispatches to appropriate departments and agencies.
Learn material and pass required tests for certification.
Observe alarm registers and scan maps to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area.
Maintain files of information relating to emergency calls, such as personnel rosters and emergency call-out and pager files.
Test and adjust communication and alarm systems, and report malfunctions to maintenance units.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $37,304
25th percentile: $45,208
50th percentile: $53,031
75th percentile: $64,287
90th percentile: $79,892

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $53,031 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6%average or slower

2025105,249 jobs

2035 projected111,548 jobs

6,299 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 63.3%
Some college: 11%
Certificate: 10.6%
Associate degree: 10.3%
Bachelor's degree: 4.7%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Computer-Aided Dispatch
Law Enforcement
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Response
Alarm Devices
Data Entry
Telecommunications
Emergency Communications
Access Controls
Emergency Medical Dispatch
Two-Way Radios
Computer Terminals
Ambulances
Communications Systems
Office Equipment
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Call Center Experience
Radio Operations
Fire Alarm Systems
Computer Networks

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Public Safety Dispatchers950 postings
02Security Officers/Dispatchers687 postings
03Police Dispatchers622 postings
04911 Dispatchers502 postings
05Emergency Dispatchers270 postings
06Emergency Services Dispatchers157 postings
07Security Dispatch Officers149 postings
08Public Safety Telecommunicators147 postings
09Dispatchers128 postings
10Dispatch Operators119 postings
11Communications Dispatchers114 postings
12Emergency Communications Dispatchers113 postings
13911 Telecommunicators98 postings
14Fire Dispatchers86 postings
15Service Dispatchers82 postings
16Emergency Medical Dispatchers81 postings
17Dispatchers/Operators70 postings
18Police Communications Dispatchers65 postings
19Alarm Dispatchers60 postings
20Dispatch Officers57 postings

Top employers

01Allied Universal686 postings
02State of California43 postings
03CRH plc32 postings
04Marksman Security Corporation25 postings
05Federal Protection Agency24 postings
06GardaWorld23 postings
07Herc20 postings
08Securitas19 postings
09National Park Service17 postings
10Axiom Technologies16 postings
11State of Florida16 postings
12California State Personnel Board15 postings
13California State University-Chancellors Office15 postings
14Constellis15 postings
15California Highway Patrol14 postings
16City Of Fresno14 postings
17Esp Global Services13 postings
18U.S National Park Service13 postings
19Ada County12 postings
20State of Washington12 postings

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