Alarm operator vs fire dispatcher

The differences between alarm operators and fire dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fire dispatcher has an average salary of $37,441, which is higher than the $29,349 average annual salary of an alarm operator.

The top three skills for an alarm operator include alarm signals, emergency situations and customer service. The most important skills for a fire dispatcher are BLM, computer applications, and computer aided dispatch.

Alarm operator vs fire dispatcher overview

	Alarm Operator	Fire Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$29,349	$37,441
Hourly rate	$14.11	$18.00
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	30,893	7,959
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Alarm operator vs fire dispatcher salary

Alarm operators and fire dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Alarm Operator	Fire Dispatcher
Average salary	$29,349	$37,441
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $34,000	Between $28,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Kirkland, WA	Grants Pass, OR
Highest paying state	Oregon	Oregon
Best paying company	ASRC Federal	Mayor Ethan Berkowitz
Best paying industry	Utilities	Government

Differences between alarm operator and fire dispatcher education

There are a few differences between an alarm operator and a fire dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Alarm Operator	Fire Dispatcher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Alarm operator vs fire dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between alarm operators' and fire dispatchers' demographics:

	Alarm Operator	Fire Dispatcher
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8%	Male, 36.6% Female, 63.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 0.9% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	17%	17%

Differences between alarm operator and fire dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Alarm operator example responsibilities.

Interpret and respond to system messages through use of JES2, MVS, SDSF and automate commands.
Supervise telecommunication operations and reinforce the confidentiality in telecommunications.
Enter data into various databases including TCIC and NCIC.
Enter stolen, re-cover and missing property into TCIC and NCIC database.
Supervise telecommunication operations and reinforce the confidentiality in telecommunications.

Fire dispatcher example responsibilities.

Certify as APCO Telecommunicator and APCO EMD.
Dispatch police, fire, and ems to location for resident assistance.
Dispatch fire and ems as needed as well as the fire marshals.
Check for wanted/warrants using NCIC, ALACOP, and computer generate warrant lists.
Perform warrant checks when request through the ACIC and NCIC criminal information centers.
Save an infant by telling the mother how to give CPR to the non-responsive infant.

Alarm operator vs fire dispatcher skills

Common alarm operator skills

Alarm Signals, 15%
Emergency Situations, 14%
Customer Service, 12%
Data Entry, 8%
Emergency Services, 7%
Security Systems, 7%

Common fire dispatcher skills

BLM, 20%
Computer Applications, 16%
Computer Aided Dispatch, 6%
Firefighting, 5%
EMS, 5%
CAD, 4%