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.

What you'd actually do

• 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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of public safety telecommunicators are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, hands-on and people-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a public safety telecommunicator make?

The median pay is $25.50 per hour — roughly $53,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.94/hr (10th percentile) to $38.38/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a public safety telecommunicator?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a public safety telecommunicator actually do all day?

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.