How to hire an emergency medical dispatcher

How to hire an emergency medical dispatcher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step emergency medical dispatcher hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an emergency medical dispatcher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new emergency medical dispatcher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the emergency medical dispatcher you need to hire. Certain emergency medical dispatcher roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An emergency medical dispatcher's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, emergency medical dispatchers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents emergency medical dispatcher salaries for various positions.

   Type of Emergency Medical Dispatcher	Description	Hourly rate
   Emergency Medical Dispatcher	Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, also called public safety telecommunicators, answer emergency and nonemergency calls.	$14-22
   Call Taker	A call taker works at a call or dispatch center, where they are primarily in charge of answering calls, identifying the callers' needs, and coordinating services to assist them right away. Although their responsibilities depend on their company or industry of employment, it usually involves answering inquiries, processing requests, arranging appointments or reservations, and handling issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$13-24
   Telecommunicator	A telecommunicator receives calls and obtains information from people in need of assistance. Telecommunicators, also called 911 or public safety dispatchers, use a two-way radio in dispatching the right services to police officers, first responders, and firefighters... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • EMT
   • Computer Aided Dispatch
   • EMS
   • CAD
   • EMD
   • CPR
   • Ambulances
   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Ambulance Transport
   • Data Entry
   • Medical Emergencies
   • Dispatch System
   • Advanced Life Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train new EMT students, and dispatchers in patient care, emergency call taking and operations.
   • Dispatch fire police sheriff and medical using the cad system.
   • Provide medical instructions to callers on issues such as childbirth and CPR.
   • Dispatch appropriate units according to acuity level, availability and location; assist with CPR until units arrive at location.
   • Develop and implement departments EMD program.
   • Dispatch ambulances as necessary and in accordance with state and company standard operating procedures.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your emergency medical dispatcher job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An emergency medical dispatcher salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, emergency medical dispatchers' average salary in arkansas is 58% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level emergency medical dispatchers earn 36% less than senior-level emergency medical dispatchers.
   • Certifications. An emergency medical dispatcher with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an emergency medical dispatcher's salary.

   Average emergency medical dispatcher salary

   $38,255yearly

   $18.39 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level emergency medical dispatcher salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing an emergency medical dispatcher job description

   A good emergency medical dispatcher job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an emergency medical dispatcher job description:

   Emergency medical dispatcher job description example

   1. Current State of Michigan Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B or EMT-P) Licensure Preferred
   2. Previous EMS Dispatching experience Required
   3. Obtain Emergency Medical Dispatcher certification within 90 days from date of hire.
      

   Responsible For:
   

   1. Behavior meeting the standard of a Medstar employee, "a competent, well motivated employee who promotes positive public relations and conducts himself/herself in a friendly, caring and professional manner.
   2. Working as a "team member" in the dispatch center.
      
   3. Adheres to radio communications policies as defined by Medstar management.
      
   4. Able to work any day or night shift.
      
   5. Answers the telephone calls from various local public safety officials and residents that are requesting ambulances for medical emergencies.
   6. Answers the telephone calls from various health care facilities (i.e. hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes) requesting ambulance transportation services. Normally, these calls are of a non-emergency nature, but occasionally they are emergency or "STAT" requests.
   7. Works cooperatively with medical/nursing staff at patient care facilities to optimize patient
      
   8. transportation.
   9. Dispatches emergency and non-emergency calls to ambulances using the VHF radio system.
      
   10. Communicates pertinent call information to the responding ambulance, such as the nature of the call as well as other responding agencies. As required by protocols. Notifies any other responding agencies.
   11. When needed, performs the role of the non-emergency dispatcher.
   12. Utilizes the vehicle locator system "tracker" to send the closest ambulance available to emergency calls. Routinely monitors the travel routes and location of ambulances to ensure compliance with the "status" plan.
   13. Recognizes the need for additional staffing and vehicles and promptly notifies the supervisor.
       
   14. Follow all status plans to ensure time performance standards.
   15. Determines that all ambulance shifts are staffed with appropriate qualified personnel. When a vacancy occurs, a call-in list will be initiated to fill all open shifts.
   16. Enters all dispatch (D-card) information daily into the computer billing system.
       
   17. Completes all run reports of a statistical nature in an accurate and timely manner.
       
   18. Completes delayed response time reports and runs turnover reports on a daily basis.
       
   19. Maintains a good working knowledge of roads, bridges, building, etc., within the Medstar geographic service area.
   20. Ensures communication systems (including the "tracker"), is operational. Report any problems to the supervisor.
   21. Other duties as assigned.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right emergency medical dispatcher for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with emergency medical dispatchers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit emergency medical dispatchers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your emergency medical dispatcher job on Zippia to find and recruit emergency medical dispatcher candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit emergency medical dispatchers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new emergency medical dispatcher

   Once you've decided on a perfect emergency medical dispatcher candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new emergency medical dispatcher first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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