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How Do I Know If A 911 Dispatcher Career Is for Me?


A career as a 911 dispatcher is fast-paced, hectic, and above all else, rewarding. As a part of a chain of emergency responders, dispatchers are the face—or the ear—of emergency calls to 911. It takes a remarkable person to do a dispatcher's work, and it is not suited to everyone.
 
Are you considering a career as a 911 dispatcher? Before you apply for a dispatcher position, you should decide if emergency services dispatching is right for you. Keep reading because we have taken the guesswork out of your decision by compiling a list of truths about the job so you can better understand if a 911 dispatcher job is right for you.

Dispatching Jobs are Difficult to Get

To qualify to apply for a 911 dispatcher job, you must meet a number of requirements.
 
These include:

Dispatchers Take Lots of Phone Calls

According to the National Emergency Number Association, there are an estimated 240 million calls made to 911 per year in the US. That is over 657,000 phone calls per day. As a 911 dispatcher, you will be responsible for answering your city or community's share of those calls when you are working.
 
Don't get too bogged down by the numbers, though. Before you take a live call as a dispatcher, you will undergo rigorous training from the hiring service.

Dispatchers Undergo Intensive Training

After you are hired as a 911 dispatcher, you will need to undergo training.
 
The training includes:

911 Dispatchers are Busy

During a shift, a 911 dispatcher will answer many calls and be required to determine the nature of the emergency while keeping the caller calm, if necessary. The dispatcher will also need to choose the call's priority so that the most dire situations are attended to first.
 
A dispatcher will need to provide the caller with information or instructions, such as guiding a caller through CPR or other life-saving first aid actions. Simultaneously, a dispatcher will need to alert the correct emergency service and dispatch them to the emergency site with full details that will prevent any further danger.
 
Finally, a dispatcher must record the information accurately and efficiently.

Dispatchers Are on Guard While Listening

A 911 dispatcher takes the information from a caller but also listens for nuances and contextual clues. Background noise can provide hints, so an observant 911 dispatcher will be listening to everything going on in a 911 call.
 
This can be beneficial to the 911 caller, especially in a hostage or domestic violence situation where things cannot always be verbally communicated and helps to keep emergency service personnel safe from additional dangers like guns, explosives, or violent individuals.

Calls Can be Unpleasant

While almost all 911 calls are made to report a crime, fire, illness, or injury, 911 dispatchers are subject to some uncomfortable calls.
 
People in distress are often panicked and can become verbally abusive. For this reason, a 911 dispatcher must be able to remain level-headed in crisis or when faced with angry or hostile situations.
 
On the other hand, 911 dispatchers sometimes have to listen to distressing information that can be hard to cope with.

Sometimes Dispatching is Hard

The job isn't physically demanding, but it can be emotionally and mentally taxing. Some days are worse than others. These are the reasons why specific training deals with some of the more distressing aspects of the job.
 
Typically, there is a lot of support after a gruelling call, but this isn't always the case, so it is essential for a dispatcher to be aware of their own mental health.

Dispatchers Often are Puzzle Solvers

Problem-solving is a requirement for a job as a 911 dispatcher. You will often be required to solve complicated puzzles because callers are unsure how much information is necessary or don't know how to relay it in a crisis.
 
Dispatchers must read between the lines or ask precise questions to get the answers needed to dispatch the correct agency.

Dispatchers Must Pass a Series of Tests Before Being Hired

Being a 911 dispatcher is not just contingent on how accurate and quickly you type (though this is something you are tested on). You also will need to pass a series of tests before you are offered a 911 dispatcher job.
 
These tests vary from state to state and country to country, but they will test your abilities as a 911 operator.
 
A popular test used by many services is called the CritiCall Dispatch Test. This test comprises many modules that can be modified by the city or community service doing the hiring. The most commonly used modules are data entry, decision making, map reading, and memorization.
 
The test will assess your strengths and determine your fitness for the position.

A Final Note

If all of the above points have further piqued your interest, you can be sure that a 911 dispatcher job is right for you.
 
When a 911 dispatcher career is your dream, you will undoubtedly work hard to achieve your goal. It is always important to look at all sides of a job, especially when it is essential to a community.
 
Once you have applied for a 911 dispatcher job and received a job interview, the next step is preparing. Especially if you want to be successful in landing the job.
 
Police Test Tutor has an online CritiCall Dispatch Test program that provides you with over 1500 practice questions and 50 simulated 911 calls that will get you ready for the CritiCall or Perfex exam.
 
Police Test Tutor is constantly updating information in their CritiCall Dispatch Package, so the questions and information are up to date.
 
Contact Police Test Tutor to see what they can do to help you achieve your dream of becoming a 911 dispatcher.