( May 2012) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Įmployment as a dispatcher does not usually require a level of education higher than a high school diploma, but many that work in the field hold liberal arts degrees. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This section needs additional citations for verification. Nineteen people died and forty-eight were injured in a crash where the dispatcher allowed a passenger train to leave a station when a freight train was approaching the station on the same line. A train dispatcher in Spain was found guilty of negligent homicide for a head-on train collision that occurred in June 2003. Human error can also produce deadly results for other types of dispatchers. The working conditions of a public safety dispatcher may be particularly stressful compared to others because handling a call incorrectly may delay or misdirect emergency personnel, which could result in serious injury or even death. Callers requesting emergency assistance are often in a state of heightened emotional distress, which can make it difficult to obtain the information needed to handle the call appropriately. When receiving incoming calls for help, these dispatchers must ascertain the nature, location, and extent of the emergency. Public safety dispatchers are usually the first point of contact between emergency services and the public. Many dispatchers must also work irregular hours to provide 24-hour service, which includes night, weekend, and holiday hours. As a result of sitting for long periods and using such equipment, dispatchers can develop eye strain and back problems. These systems can include but not limited to telephones, radios, computers and computer-aided dispatch programs, video surveillance cameras, and ground-to-aircraft messaging systems such as ACARS. Other dispatchers work in centralized communication centers associated with their specific company or service.ĭispatchers of all kinds work with multiple communications systems depending on their function. Public safety dispatchers usually work in a police station, a fire station, or a hospital. These workers receive and document incoming calls, transmit messages to appropriate personnel, and keep logs of the daily activities of their personnel. Public safety dispatchers are responsible for all emergency communications that occur within the jurisdiction of their department. Working conditions and environment ĭispatchers are responsible for monitoring all of the communications within a specific geographic area. They usually work in the operations or control center of the airline. Some dispatchers provide a flight following service and advise pilots if conditions or paths change. Railroad dispatchers Ī flight dispatcher assists in planning flight paths, taking into account wind speed, storms, aircraft performance and loading, and other conditions. In the United States, about 26% of all dispatchers employed in 2004 worked for transportation and warehousing industries. A gas and water service dispatcher monitors their respective utilities and receive calls for emergency assistance that involve gas lines and water mains.A tow-truck dispatcher responds to calls for emergency roadside assistance.A bus dispatcher monitors the schedules of their bus fleet and address any problems that arise during their operations.A truck dispatcher is employed by a trucking company to monitor the delivery of freight over long distances and coordinate delivery pickup and drop-off schedules.Transportation and service dispatchers Ī number of other organizations use dispatchers to respond to service calls, coordinate transportation schedules, and to organize the delivery of materials: In the United States, about 10% of all dispatchers employed in 2004 were public safety dispatchers. They may also require special certification. The dispatcher also obtains and relays pertinent information to the field units to help ensure the adequacy and safety of the response.Įmergency dispatchers may also use preapproved protocols to talk a caller or bystander through lifesaving medical procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, childbirth, and first aid. Once information is obtained from the caller, the dispatcher activates the appropriate services necessary to respond to the nature of the call for help. A dispatcher in Germany at work with an accident involving a tramĪn emergency dispatcher, also known as public safety dispatcher, 9-1-1 dispatcher, or public safety telecommunicator receives calls from individuals who require emergency services, including police services, firefighting, and emergency medical services.
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