Author: Amelia MuellerAmelia Mueller is the North Central Texas Emergency Communication District's communications coordinator. Her responsibilities include managing NCT911.org and its social media platforms, creating educational content, managing the public education program, and more.

The emergency number field is diverse and offers a lot of opportunities to those who find their calling in it, but how does someone become a 911 dispatcher or call taker? At the end of January, the NCT911 training program launched its first ever virtual/in-person hybrid Regional Telecommunicator Academy, which trains brand new 911 dispatchers and call takers on the foundation training they’ll need to be successful in their new careers. A 911 telecommunicator is the umbrella term for both 911 call takers, who typically answer 911 calls, and 911 dispatchers, who typically dispatch from the radio. 

If you’re researching the qualifications, skills, and education you’ll need to launch your career as a 911 dispatcher, look no further. We’ve created this guide to help you on your 911 journey.

What qualifications will I need?      

Before you start applying for 911 telecommunicator jobs, make sure you have or can obtain the necessary qualifications. For those searching in Texas, these are a little more strict than in other states. 

You’ll need:

• A high school diploma or GED
• To be at least 18 years old
• Basic computer literacy skills, including the use of word processing software, email programs, database entry, etc.
• In Texas, you must obtain the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Telecommunicator Certification within a year of your hiring date. The agency that hires you will assist you in preparing to take the state licensing exam, but you will be responsible for knowing the material. 
• You may also be required to obtain certifications in emergency medical dispatch (only required for certain agencies that dispatch for medical emergencies), Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), Texas Crime Information Center/National Law Enforcement Telecommunications system (TCIC/NCIC: these systems are where criminal justice data like prior arrests, license plates, sex offender registries, etc. are maintained), and specific certifications on the 911 equipment. 
• Some agencies require pre-employment assessments like a polygraph test, drug screening, hearing test, psychological exam, and a background check. 

What skill sets will help me succeed?

So, you know you have or can obtain the necessary qualifications, but what type of skills do you need to be hired as a 911 dispatcher? Some of these are pretty obvious, but there are a few characteristics of a good telecommunicator that may surprise you.

• Balance 

911 telecommunicators, whether they work as call takers, dispatchers, or both, have a lot of responsibilities. They manage multiple monitors that display all this information, like the whereabouts of officers, the addresses and telephone numbers of callers, traffic patterns, weather alerts, criminal justice data relevant to the call — and that’s before they even start answering phones or talking on the radio! If having multiple responsibilities intimidates you, then a job in the emergency communications field might not be the right one for you.

• Customer Service

Yes, the citizens of the community you serve are like your customers in some ways (not so much in the customer is always right ways, however). It’s important that 911 call takers can maintain a level of professionalism even when dealing with distressed, rude, or even hostile callers. Most people who dial 911 are going through the worst day of their lives, so they may not be acting like themselves. 911 telecommunicators are often shouted at, cursed, or even ignored when a caller is panicking. It’s the job of a 911 call taker to get the necessary information, keep the caller safe, and relay that information to the first responders no matter the circumstances.  

• Typing Accuracy 

If you want to be hired as a 911 dispatcher, it’s your job to collect vital information in the middle of an emergency. So that means your typing skills have to be better than good. Inaccuracies and typos could put callers or first responders at risk, so most 911 telecommunicators are excellent typists who not only type at the speed of light, but who also have minimal typing errors. Most 911 telecommunicators are required to type between 30 – 45 WPM without errors.

• Self Awareness

You should know what you’re getting into before applying for a job as a 911 dispatcher. Emergencies don’t sleep and 911 telecommunicators work in shifts. You will be required to work midnights, weekends, and holidays. Many people start out in 911 believing they can handle this type of shiftwork, but then realize that it’s not the right path for them. Be honest with yourself before sending in your application.

• Resiliency 

You’re signing up for a tough job. You’ll hear people going through trauma and difficulties every day and have to keep calm and talk them through it. You will be their light in the darkness, the voice on the other end of the line keeping them together until help arrives. Burnout in the emergency number industry is common, and though you can take training and use resources to assist with your mental health, it does take its toll. A resilient person will excel at this job, because they fight through the difficult calls and celebrate the miracles, and they know that at the end of the day, they made a difference.

Where can I find a job as a 911 dispatcher?

911 telecommunicator jobs are posted on online job boards just like any other role. You can search on Indeed or LinkedIn for roles in your area, or go straight to your local police department, sheriff’s office, or fire station for job postings. There are also opportunities to dispatch for private organizations like ambulance and medevac companies. You can also review the National Emergency Number Association Job Board.

If you think you have the qualifications and skills to be a 911 dispatcher, search in your area for an opening and start making a difference. You’ll know this is the right path for you because this industry isn’t just a job. It’s a calling.

Ask any 911 call taker the one thing they wish their citizens understood and you’ll get a few similar answers: they don’t always have your exact location, answering their questions doesn’t slow down the response, and never hang up on them. Even if you accidently dial 911!

The reason why you shouldn’t hang up is pretty simple: it takes longer to call you back and ensure you’re safe than it does to just stay on the line and explain the situation. Most 911 call takers will call back hang ups to ensure there is no emergency. Seconds matter in the emergency number field, and taking even a couple of extra moments to redial a hang up and confirm that you’re safe means that call taker isn’t available to answer a real emergency call.

Here are some of the main reasons callers hang up on 911, and what you should do if this happens to you!

Accidentally Dial 911 With Emergency Lock Screen Function

Most cell phones these days require a password to get into the device, including to make a call, but you can still dial 911 from the emergency call feature on the lockscreen.

The problem? Sometimes people accidentally pocket dial their local 911 call center using this feature. You can help prevent pocket dials to 911 by:

• Purchasing a case which prevents double tapping buttons.
• Decreasing screen sensitivity in the accessibility settings of your device.

Make sure your phone is properly locked before putting it in your pocket or purse and if you do happen to accidently 911, just stay on the line!

Children Who Accidentally Dial 911

Every 911 call taker has a story (multiple stories) of a child reaching 911 on accident while playing with a phone. And many times, parents just hang up as quickly as possible once they realize what’s going on. It’s always better to stay on the line and just explain what happened. 

Children accidentally dialing 911 on older phones without data plans is extremely common in the 911 call center because parents will give their kids old smartphones to play with during the day. This takes 911 call takers away from actual emergencies, so please don’t let your kids play with old cell phones! 

Accidentally Dial 911 With a Smartwatch 

Watches are getting smarter and smarter, to the point where they can even dial 911 on their own. The Apple watch is equipped with a fall detection feature, which uses an algorithm to sense if the wearer needs medical attention after a fall. If you don’t use one of Apple’s safety apps to trigger a fall, you can use a button on the side of the watch to call for help. However, many 911 call centers are reporting false alerts.

Help your local 911 call takers out by ensuring your smartwatch is set up correctly to prevent accidental 911 calls, which you can learn how to do on an Apple watch here. If your watch initiates a call to 911, you typically have six seconds to cancel it. If you can’t cancel in time, just stay on the line and explain what happened. 

Mistakes happen and 911 call takers know that you aren’t trying to take them away from their life-saving roles. But if you do accidentally dial 911, the best thing you can do is just stay on the line, explain the situation, and wait until the 911 call taker tells you it’s okay to hang up.    

9-1-1 is there to help during an emergency, but there are plenty of emergency apps, tools, and accessories that can help your local agency. Of course, the best way to reach 9-1-1 is still a voice call (followed by a text message if it’s available in your area), but using one of these resources can help 9-1-1 telecommunicators help you.

Emergency Health Profile

During the coronavirus pandemic, four non-profit organizations partnered with a 9-1-1 industry vendor to create the Emergency Health Profile Association. Signing up for an emergency health profile allows your information such as your name, address, pre-existing conditions, medications, emergency contacts, and more to be shared with a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP or call center) when you dial 9-1-1. The health information you provide is not Protected Health Information covered by HIPPA, but rather is subject to the profile’s privacy policy. 

This information is provided through the RapidSOS, which is not an emergency app but a company that supplies a database to store additional information for 9-1-1 telecommunicators and is free to use for participating agencies. However, not all PSAPs utilize RapidSOS, though they are found in 4,700 PSAPs in the United States. All of PSAPs within the NCT9-1-1 service area are equipped to access RapidSOS. If you are unsure whether your local agency can utilize this data, you can always call them on their 10-digit number.      

What3Words

What3Words is a free mobile application that you can download to help identify your location and the locations of relevant landmarks, either in an emergency or just in general. They’ve divided the world into parking-space size squares and assigned three words to each square. For example, The Alamo in San Antonio has been assigned Axed.Limbs.Hops. By sending those three words to a friend or to a 9-1-1 call taker, they can plug the information into the desktop application to identify your location. You can look up the three words for your home address here.

Of course, this information is only useful if a 9-1-1 call taker is able to look up what location coordinates with the three words. The emergency number industry is starting to integrate this application with its tools, and NCT9-1-1 will soon implement a mapping platform that uses What3Words.

iPhone Health App

iPhones offer an in-house Health App that can be used to document pre-existing conditions, medications, and other information on your medical ID profile. You can also choose to have your medical ID information displayed on the lockscreen, which includes your name, age, and emergency contacts.

PSAPs who opt in to receive the information from the emergency health app will be able to view it during a 911 call and it is also seen if the Apple Watch fall detection feature is activated. Again, this information is only available to some PSAPs, so it’s still important to relay your medical information to the call taker during an emergency when possible.

InvisaWear

The jewelry brand sells necklaces, bracelets, and keychains that include charms with hidden panic buttons. By pressing the back of the charm twice, an alert is sent via the InvisaWear app to five emergency contacts chosen by the wearer. These contacts receive a GPS location and S.O.S alert in a text message, and there is also an optional contact 9-1-1 feature. 

There are a lot of emergency accessory brands that claim to reach 9-1-1 if activated, but it’s difficult to prove if the claims are true. InvisaWear is another organization that has partnered with RapidSOS, meaning agencies that utilize the services provided by RapidSOS have access to InvisaWear alerts.    

A 9-1-1 telecommunicator will do whatever they can to identify your location and get help to you, but by downloading these emergency apps or utilizing one of the tools, you can get important information into the 9-1-1 agency faster.