### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Public Safety Telecommunicators Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			Public safety telecommunicatorsPublic safety telecommunicators take emergency and nonemergency requests.							
						Quick Facts:     Public Safety Telecommunicators2023     Median Pay
            						$48,890     per year
										$23.51     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Moderate-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    99,500Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    3% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    3,400What Public Safety Telecommunicators Do
                                                
                        
                        
Public safety telecommunicators, including *911 operators*and*fire dispatchers*, answer emergency and nonemergency calls and provide resources to assist those in need.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Public safety telecommunicators work in emergency communication centers called public safety answering points (PSAPs). These workers usually have shifts that include evenings, weekends, and holidays to provide round-the-clock coverage. The pressure to respond quickly and calmly in alarming situations may be stressful.
            
                                                How to Become a Public Safety Telecommunicator
                                                
                        
Public safety telecommunicators typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and then are trained on the job. Many states and localities require these workers to become certified.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators was $48,890 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of public safety telecommunicators is projected to grow							 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 10,400 openings for public safety telecommunicators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for public safety telecommunicators.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of public safety telecommunicators with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about public safety telecommunicators by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Public Safety Telecommunicators Do 
            

			Public safety telecommunicatorsPublic safety telecommunicators monitor and track the status of police, fire, and ambulance units.			
Public safety telecommunicators, including *911 operators*and*fire dispatchers*, answer emergency and nonemergency calls and provide resources to assist those in need.
Duties
Public safety telecommunicators typically do the following:
Answer 9-1-1 emergency and nonemergency requests from different sources, such as phone calls, text messages, social media, and alarm systems
Determine the type of emergency and its location and decide the appropriate response based on agency procedures
Relay information to the appropriate first-responder agency
Coordinate the dispatch of emergency response personnel
Give instructions to the person in need before emergency services arrive
Monitor and track the status of police, fire, and ambulance units
Synchronize responses with other area communication centers
Keep detailed records of callsPublic safety telecommunicators answer requests from people who need help. Depending on the situation, these workers may contact police, firefighters, emergency services, or a combination of the three. Telecommunicators take both emergency and nonemergency requests.
Public safety telecommunicators must stay calm while collecting vital information from callers to determine the severity and location of a situation. They also must select and clear a radio channel to establish a stable connection with the appropriate first-responder agency, such as the police or fire department. Telecommunicators then monitor that channel to ensure that resources are provided safely and efficiently.
Public safety telecommunicators use computers to log important facts, such as the nature of the incident and the caller’s name. These computer systems screen calls to identify the delivery method, such as phone, text, or video. Telecommunicators then gather information about the location of the person in need.
Public safety telecommunicators are trained to provide instruction over the phone. They often must guide callers on what to do before responders arrive. For example, they might help the caller provide first aid at the scene until emergency medical services arrive. At other times, telecommunicators may advise callers on how to remain safe while waiting for assistance.
 Work Environment
			Public safety telecommunicatorsPublic safety telecommunicators typically work in communication centers, often called public safety answering points (PSAPs).			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Public safety telecommunicators held about 99,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of public safety telecommunicators were as follows:
        Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                82%State government, excluding education and hospitals
                5Ambulance services
                5Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private
                3Hospitals; state, local, and private
                2Public safety telecommunicators typically work in communication centers, often called public safety answering points (PSAPs). Some work for unified communication centers, where they answer calls for all types of emergency services, while others work specifically for police or fire departments.
Work as a public safety telecommunicator may be stressful. These workers often have long shifts, take many calls, and deal with troubling situations. Some calls require them to assist people who are in life-threatening situations, and the pressure to respond quickly and calmly may be demanding.
Work Schedules
Most public safety telecommunicators work full time, often in 8- to 12-hour shifts.
Because emergencies happen at any time, public safety telecommunicators are needed to staff PSAPs around the clock. They may be required to work shifts that are outside standard business hours, such as evenings, weekends, and holidays.
 How to Become a Public Safety Telecommunicator

			Public safety telecommunicatorsPublic safety telecommunicators usually must pass a typing test.			
Public safety telecommunicators typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and then are trained on the job. Many states and localities require these workers to become certified.
In addition, candidates usually must pass an exam and a typing test. In some instances, candidates may need to pass a background check, lie detector and drug tests, and tests for hearing and vision.
The ability to communicate in another language, such as Spanish or American Sign Language, may be helpful.
Education
Public safety telecommunicators typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation.
Training
Public safety telecommunicators typically receive training on the job. Training requirements and length of training vary by state and locality.
For example, some states require 40 or more hours of training, and others require continuing education every 2 to 3 years. Still other states do not mandate any specific training, leaving individual localities and agencies to structure their own requirements and conduct their own courses.
Training programs typically involve an instructional course and may include on-the-job demonstrations. Training may be followed by a probationary period of about 1 year. However, the period may vary by agency, as there is no national standard governing training or probation.
Training covers a variety of topics, such as local geography, agency protocols, and standard procedures. Public safety telecommunicators learn how to use equipment such as computer-aided dispatch systems, which consist of several monitors that may display call information, maps, and video. They also may receive training to prepare for high-risk incidents, such as child abductions and suicidal callers.
Some agencies have their own training programs for public safety telecommunicators; others use training from separate associations. Agencies often use standards from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO International), the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) as a guideline for their own training programs.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Many states and localities require public safety telecommunicators to be certified. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) provides a list of states requiring training and certification. One certification is the Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification, which enables dispatchers to give medical assistance over the phone.
Public safety telecommunicators may choose to pursue additional certifications, such as the National Emergency Number Association’s Emergency Number Professional (ENP) certification or APCO’s Registered Public-Safety Leader (RPL) certification, which demonstrate their leadership skills and knowledge.
Advancement
Training and additional certifications may help public safety telecommunicators become senior dispatchers or supervisors. Additional education and related work experience may be helpful in advancing to management-level positions.
Important Qualities
***Ability to multitask.*** Public safety telecommunicators must stay calm in order to simultaneously answer calls, collect vital information, coordinate responders, monitor multiple displays, and use a variety of equipment.
***Communication skills.*** Public safety telecommunicators work with law enforcement, emergency response teams, and civilians. They must be able to communicate the nature of an emergency effectively and to coordinate the appropriate response.
***Decision-making skills.*** When people call for help, public safety telecommunicators must be able to determine the response dictated by procedures and to work efficiently with the assisting emergency departments.
***Empathy.*** Public safety telecommunicators must be willing to help a range of callers with varying needs. They must be calm, polite, and sympathetic, while also collecting relevant information quickly.
***Listening skills.*** Public safety telecommunicators must listen carefully to collect relevant details, even though some callers might have trouble speaking because of anxiety or stress.
***Typing skills.*** Public safety telecommunicators enter the details of calls into computers; typing speed and accuracy are essential when responding to emergencies.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Public Safety TelecommunicatorsMedian annual wages, May 2023Public safety telecommunicators$48,890  Total, all occupations$48,060  Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers$46,590Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators was $48,890 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,490, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,910.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for public safety telecommunicators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        State government, excluding education and hospitals
                $54,000Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                49,460Hospitals; state, local, and private
                46,660Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private
                46,170Ambulance services
                39,530Most public safety telecommunicators work full time, often in 8- to 12-hour shifts.
Because emergencies happen at any time, public safety telecommunicators are needed to staff PSAPs around the clock. They may be required to work shifts that are outside standard business hours, such as evenings, weekends, and holidays.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
               Public Safety TelecommunicatorsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Public safety telecommunicators3%  Total, all occupations3%  Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers-3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of public safety telecommunicators is projected to grow				 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 10,400 openings for public safety telecommunicators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
State and local government budget constraints may limit the number of public safety telecommunicators hired over the projections decade. However, population growth and the commensurate increase in 9-1-1 call volume is expected to create demand for these workers.
			

                        Employment projections data for     public safety telecommunicators, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Public safety telecommunicators**
			43-5031
			99,500
			102,900
			3
			3,400
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Public safety telecommunicators **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of public safety telecommunicators. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Air Traffic Controllers**
            Air traffic controllers coordinate the movement of aircraft to maintain safe distances between them.
            Associate's degree
            $137,380**Customer Service Representatives**
            Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and answer questions.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $39,680**EMTs and Paramedics**
            Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $44,780**Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers**
            Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers control the systems that generate and distribute electric power.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $100,890**Security Guards and Gambling Surveillance Officers**
            Security guards and gambling surveillance officers protect property from illegal activity.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $37,090
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about public safety telecommunicator training and certification, visit
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials
International Academies of Emergency Dispatch
International Municipal Signal Association
National Emergency Number Association
CareerOneStop
For a career video on public safety telecommunicators, visit
Public Safety Telecommunicators

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Public Safety Telecommunicators
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Public Safety Telecommunicators, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/police-fire-and-ambulance-dispatchers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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