Emergency communications technician vs fire dispatcher

The differences between emergency communications technicians and fire dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an emergency communications technician has an average salary of $42,950, which is higher than the $37,441 average annual salary of a fire dispatcher.

The top three skills for an emergency communications technician include emergency communications, patient care and CPR. The most important skills for a fire dispatcher are BLM, computer applications, and computer aided dispatch.

Emergency communications technician vs fire dispatcher overview

	Emergency Communications Technician	Fire Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$42,950	$37,441
Hourly rate	$20.65	$18.00
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	61,970	7,959
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Emergency communications technician vs fire dispatcher salary

Emergency communications technicians and fire dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Emergency Communications Technician	Fire Dispatcher
Average salary	$42,950	$37,441
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $60,000	Between $28,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	Grants Pass, OR
Highest paying state	-	Oregon
Best paying company	-	Mayor Ethan Berkowitz
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between emergency communications technician and fire dispatcher education

There are a few differences between an emergency communications technician and a fire dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Emergency Communications Technician	Fire Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Emergency communications technician vs fire dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between emergency communications technicians' and fire dispatchers' demographics:

	Emergency Communications Technician	Fire Dispatcher
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%	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 emergency communications technician and fire dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Emergency communications technician example responsibilities.

Compile a supplementary report for incorrect VCIN codes.
Coordinate emergency services for police, fire and ambulances.
Assist and independently train new hires and senior management on new protocols, CPR, and EMD software.
Maintain composure and compassion while handling emergency and non-emergency calls from a diverse community
Receive training regarding updates and changes of policies, procedure and regulations to CJIS.

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.

Emergency communications technician vs fire dispatcher skills

Common emergency communications technician skills

Emergency Communications, 12%
Patient Care, 12%
CPR, 9%
Computer Aided Dispatch, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Services, 7%

Common fire dispatcher skills

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

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Emergency Communications Technician
Emergency Communications Technician vs Fire Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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