Public Safety Telecommunicators

Public Safety Telecommunicators typically perform the following tasks: • 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. • Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations. • Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions. • Maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials. • Enter, update, and retrieve information from teletype networks and computerized data systems regarding such things as wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, and stolen vehicles. • Scan status charts and computer screens, and contact emergency response field units to determine emergency units available for dispatch. • Answer routine inquiries, and refer calls not requiring dispatches to appropriate departments and agencies. • Learn material and pass required tests for certification. • Observe alarm registers and scan maps to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area. • Maintain files of information relating to emergency calls, such as personnel rosters and emergency call-out and pager files. • Test and adjust communication and alarm systems, and report malfunctions to maintenance units. • Operate and maintain mobile dispatch vehicles and equipment. • Monitor alarm systems to detect emergencies, such as fires and illegal entry into establishments.