If you are considering a career as a dispatcher, you’ll be setting yourself up in one of the most challenging yet rewarding professions. Dispatchers are essential components in various industries that operate smoothly, including emergency services and transportation. Below is how to become a professional dispatcher, some of the skills you will need, realistic situations you may want to consider, and resources that can help on your way:
Before I outline the steps,
Let us briefly define what a dispatcher does.
A dispatcher is responsible for receiving and sending messages, tracking vehicles or personnel, and organizing operations for quick response and efficient service delivery. Dispatchers operate in several fields in emergency services, transport, and public safety.
Step 1: Education and Training
Graduate from High School or equivalent GED
Finish high school or get a GED. While most available jobs require this, it is also the least that one would have to acquire to qualify for a dispatcher job.
Consider Extra Training
Although this is not a requirement, during this stage, one may enroll in a dispatcher training program or criminal justice or related course major. Classes contained in these programs include the fundamental courses needed to complete such as communications skills, dispatch technology, and emergency management, among other class differences.
Step 2: Get Yourself Familiar with the Industry
Learn About Different Types of Dispatching
Learn about the type of skills needed and the requirements for different dispatch types. Some standard fields include the following:?
- Emergency Services: Answering 911 calls; dispatching emergency response teams.
- Transportation: Organizing logistics for trucking companies and public transit.
- Public Safety: Direct communication with coordinating law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and emergency medical services.
Step 3: Build Essential Skills
A good dispatcher should be taught several skills, including the following:
- Excellent communication: Verbal and written skills to clearly and appropriately deliver information.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving: skills to observe a situation quickly, make decisions, and take control when in a high-pressure setting.
- Multitasking: The ability to handle many responsibilities all at once.
- Technical proficiency: It includes knowledge and use of dispatch software, GPS systems, and related technology.
- Stress Tolerance: The ability to remain calm during high-pressure situations.
- Geographical Knowledge: Transportation dispatchers, therefore, need to have broad geographical knowledge to manage appropriate planning and scheduling.
- Attention to Detail: Ensuring the accuracy of communications and recordkeeping throughout.
- Empathy and Patience: Display professionalism in support and assistance, most especially in services that pertain to emergency needs.
Step 4: Get Experience
Look for internships or entry-level positions.
If possible, gain experience through internships or entry-level jobs in the dispatching area to get a feel for a job and acquire skills you can use in practice.
Step 5: Certification
Acquire Relevant Certifications
Certification is also a great way to enhance your credentials and make yourself more attractive to employers. Some of them are:
- Emergency Medical Dispatcher(EMD)
- Emergency Number Professional(ENP)
- Certified Public-Safety Executive(CPE)
Step 6: Find a Job and Network
Job Boards and Search Websites
Look for dispatcher jobs on job boards and search websites, such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and specialty industry websites.
Attend Industry Conferences
Conferences, workshops, and other events in your industry are where others get to know you and learn about job opportunities.
Step 7: Apply and Prepare
Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter
Emphasize all your related skills and experiences in your resume and cover letter. Make sure both are job-specific.
Prepare for Interviews
Look up some of the typical interview questions and situations a dispatcher may encounter, that will get you prepared on how you would answer specific questions with an explanation of how much you do know and are ready for the job.
Step 8: On-the-Job Training
Learn specific protocols and systems
on-the-job training about the protocols and systems followed by the agency or organization. This is how whatever theoretical knowledge was grasped in the classrooms is applied practically.
Step 9: Continuing Education
Keep Yourself Apprised of Industry Trends
The dispatching field is ever-evolving. Keep up-to-date about the latest industrial trends and best practices via seminars, workshops, and courses related to continuing education.
Step 10: Advancing Your Career
Go after Growth Opportunities
Where possible, find ways to specialize or become a lead role. This might mean serving as a lead dispatcher or supervisor or adding on management or training responsibilities concerning the field.
Real-Life Dispatching Scenarios
To give you an idea of how these skills are applied, here are some real-life scenarios that you might encounter in the work of a dispatcher :
Scenario 1: Emergency Medical Services(EMS)
You are dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on the highway where there are multiple injuries. In this scenario, you would have to assess the accident scene, the injury magnitude, what level of resources would be required, send an appropriate response team according to the scenario and notify area hospitals of patient arrival.
Scenario:2 Transportation
You receive a call from one driver reporting the breakdown of his vehicle in an area that is unfamiliar to the receiving person. You initiate your technical and geographical knowledge to pinpoint the driver’s location while arranging for road assistance and rescheduling the delivery to minimize delay.
Scenario 3: Emergency Services
You receive a telephone call from a person having a heart attack. You must stay calm enough to walk the caller through CPR while dispatching an ambulance and keep the caller on the line to reassure and advise of the estimated time of arrival of the ambulance.
Scenario 4: Public Safety
You are deluged with calls that fire is sweeping the residential area. You have to rush to assess the situation, coordinate with the fire departments, inform residents to vacate the premises, and tell the teams about the problem that is unfolding, too.
Scenario 5: Small Fleet of Commercial Vehicles
Two drivers require the use of the same truck and must make their deliveries in the same time frame. You employ your negotiating, multitasking and problem-solving skills with the drivers by juggling schedules so both deliveries come off timely without impacting other commitments.
Resources
For further information and training, the following can be consulted:
- National Dispatchers Association (NDA)
- American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
- National Emergency Number Association NENA)
Conclusion
All these make a potential education, skill building, on-the-job training, and continuous learning a good dispatcher. As you go through these steps and work on those essential skills, you will be well into your dispatching career. A dispatcher is crucial in any operation for its smoothness and may be considered one of the most supportive jobs; hence, this profession is significant and commendable.
Ready for the next steps? Time to start pursuing job opportunities and networking with people in a field of desire.
