Emergency Medical Dispatcher

Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, also called 9-1-1 operators or public safety telecommunicators, answer emergency and non-emergency calls. They take information from the caller and send the appropriate type and number of units.

Police, fire and ambulance dispatchers typically do the following:

• Answer 9-1-1 telephone calls
• Determine, from the caller, the type of emergency and its location
• Decide the appropriate emergency response based on agency policies and procedures
• Relay information to the appropriate emergency or non-emergency service agency or agencies
• Coordinate sending emergency response personnel
• Give over-the-phone medical help and other instructions before emergency personnel get to the scene
• Monitor and track the status of police, fire, and ambulance units on assignment
• Synchronize responses with other area communication centers
• Keep detailed records about calls

Dispatchers answer calls for service when someone needs help from police, fire fighters, emergency services, or a combination of the three. They take both emergency and non-emergency calls.

Dispatchers must stay calm while collecting vital information from callers to determine the severity of a situation. They then give the appropriate first responder agencies information about the call.

Some dispatchers only take calls. Others only use radios to send appropriate personnel. Many dispatchers do both tasks.

Dispatchers keep detailed records about the calls that they take. They may use a computer system to log important facts, such as the name and location of the caller.