Emergency dispatchers send out emergency calls to firefighters, police and ambulance services. They normally do their job in 911 call centers. Emergency dispatchers may work only in specific emergency areas such as the police department or the fire department. Therefore, the type of dispatcher training offered may be influenced by the emergency department one wishes to work in. It is generally through taking certification courses that aspiring emergency dispatchers are able to develop the requisite management and communication skills.
For one to fully develop all the requisite skills, it may take up to six months. The various dispatch departments such as the police or the firefighters departments stipulate the hours the program will take, the shifts a trainee has to take and the probationary period a trainee has to undergo before fully becoming employed.
Emergency dispatchers beginning the program may be offered a 40 hour certificate that majors in the study of technologies that are in application in this field and basically the procedures and management skills necessary to do the job. These programs and courses may be offered at police academies or even in some community colleges. Most of these programs strive to follow the 40 hour certification program which is considered the standard in the industry.
There are no major academic requirements to through the program. A simple high school diploma or even a general education diploma is sufficient to guarantee one an opportunity in this field. In fact there are no degrees that have been designed, at the moment, to offer this program both in the universities and colleges in the US.
Institutions offering these programs major in topic like; crisis intervention, stress management, criminal law, call taking techniques and emergency medical dispatching. Other programs may require the trainee to participate in some community emergency activities to ascertain preparedness or even riding with emergency personnel who are trained. This acts as an opportunity for the trainee to gather a few tips regarding the nature and requirements of the job.
Employers may require applicants to have experience in activities such as taking calls and dispatching, even in non emergency situations. Prospective emergency dispatchers may meet this requirement by working for at least a year in customer service call centers or even in freight truck dispatching centers.
The most widespread method used in properly training emergency dispatchers is on the job training although some employers may use a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction. Those trainees that have been recruited may be required to work different shifts so as to expose them to all the variables that are likely to be encountered in emergency dispatching. This might be accompanied by probation of at least up to twelve months.
NAED offers examinations and certification courses in emergency dispatching. These courses may include emergency priority dispatching, emergency telecommunications and medical dispatching. Some courses may however have extra requirements before one can commence start. Emergency medical dispatching courses for example, requires one to have a certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before enrolment . The ED-Q certification, which addresses systems utilized in medical, fire and dispatching, requires one to have all the above certifications before enrolment.
Training in aircraft dispatch is much more demanding. The initial course takes up to 240 hours of pure classroom. This can be taken on full time or part time basis. One must also demonstrate a great ability to think, write, speak and understand.
Read more about The Meaning Of Dispatcher Training.