Public safety telecommunicator vs emergency telecommunications dispatcher

The differences between public safety telecommunicators and emergency telecommunications dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a public safety telecommunicator has an average salary of $40,955, which is higher than the $38,561 average annual salary of an emergency telecommunications dispatcher.

The top three skills for a public safety telecommunicator include computer aided dispatch, CAD and criminal justice. The most important skills for an emergency telecommunications dispatcher are EMS, computer aided dispatch, and CPR.

Public safety telecommunicator vs emergency telecommunications dispatcher overview

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$40,955	$38,561
Hourly rate	$19.69	$18.54
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	21,538	27,658
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Public safety telecommunicator vs emergency telecommunications dispatcher salary

Public safety telecommunicators and emergency telecommunications dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher
Average salary	$40,955	$38,561
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $58,000	Between $28,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	Elmhurst, IL	-
Highest paying state	Oregon	-
Best paying company	Rowan University	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between public safety telecommunicator and emergency telecommunications dispatcher education

There are a few differences between a public safety telecommunicator and an emergency telecommunications dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Public safety telecommunicator vs emergency telecommunications dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between public safety telecommunicators' and emergency telecommunications dispatchers' demographics:

	Public Safety Telecommunicator	Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%	Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1%
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 public safety telecommunicator and emergency telecommunications dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Public safety telecommunicator example responsibilities.

Manage truck and equipment inventory, rental tracking and GPS monitoring.
Certify in CPR and TTY/TDD phone calls.
Assist in patrol of campus during evening hours.
Receive and transmit radio communication to law enforcement agencies and police patrol cars for appropriate action.
Answer emergency calls/dispatch police fire and sheriff, enter and cancel stolen property and vehicles, run criminal history
Handle incoming calls in a busy AAA roadside service call center.

Emergency telecommunications dispatcher example responsibilities.

Perform EMD protocols for injure subscribers.
Provide assistance in accordance with state mandates of EMD.
Provide medical instruction to those on the scene of the emergency until the EMT's arrive.
Display patience, caring, and understanding until police, fire, or ems arrive on the scene.
Help the caller stay calm if need and give verbal directions such as CPR, gunshot victim, seizures, etc.
Operate NC DCI system within DCI and agency protocols, disseminate information to appropriate officers, and effect entries into NCIC.

Public safety telecommunicator vs emergency telecommunications dispatcher skills

Common public safety telecommunicator skills

Computer Aided Dispatch, 17%
CAD, 10%
Criminal Justice, 8%
Emergency Situations, 8%
Patrol, 8%
Data Entry, 6%

Common emergency telecommunications dispatcher skills

EMS, 13%
Computer Aided Dispatch, 11%
CPR, 9%
Public Safety Agencies, 7%
CAD, 6%
NCIC, 5%

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Public Safety Telecommunicator
Public Safety Telecommunicator vs Emergency Telecommunications Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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