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What is an emergency communications officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an emergency communications officer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.95 an hour? That's $39,422 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 3,600 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreEmergency Communications OfficerUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,422

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 0.90%

Black or African American 9.14%

Hispanic or Latino 11.11%

Unknown 6.00%

White 72.13%

Gender

female 56.90%

male 43.10%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
4.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Emergency communications officer career paths

Key steps to become an emergency communications officer

  1. Explore emergency communications officer education requirements

    Most common emergency communications officer degrees

    Bachelor's

    45.9 %

    Associate

    22.5 %

    Master's

    9.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific emergency communications officer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patrol19.83%
    Computer Aided Dispatch10.32%
    Emergency Situations6.53%
    CPR6.17%
    CAD5.83%
  3. Complete relevant emergency communications officer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New emergency communications officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an emergency communications officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real emergency communications officer resumes.
  4. Research emergency communications officer duties and responsibilities

    • Dispatch all patrol units to calls for service.
    • Monitor Fire/EMS calls of adjacent jurisdictions.
    • Maintain composure and compassion while handling emergency and non-emergency calls from a diverse community
    • Retrieve sensitive information such as, DMV files and background histories.
  5. Prepare your emergency communications officer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your emergency communications officer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an emergency communications officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable emergency communications officer resume templates

    Build a professional emergency communications officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your emergency communications officer resume.
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
    Emergency Communications Officer Resume
  6. Apply for emergency communications officer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an emergency communications officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first emergency communications officer job

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Average emergency communications officer salary

The average emergency communications officer salary in the United States is $39,422 per year or $19 per hour. Emergency communications officer salaries range between $28,000 and $53,000 per year.

Average emergency communications officer salary
$39,422 Yearly
$18.95 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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