Public Safety Telecommunicator Career

Job Description: Operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers. Take information from the public and other sources regarding crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters. May coordinate and provide information to law enforcement and emergency response personnel. May access sensitive databases and other information sources as needed. May provide additional instructions to callers based on knowledge of and certification in law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical procedures.


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Public Safety Telecommunicator Career

What skills are required for Public Safety Telecommunicators?

Importance Skills
  Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

What knowledge is needed to be a Public Safety Telecommunicator?

Importance Knowledge
  Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
  Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Work Styles

Importance Styles
  Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
  Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
  Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
  Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
  Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
  Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
  Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
  Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.