Employers
Approximately 102,700 emergency services dispatchers are employed in the United States, with about 80 percent working for local government agencies (law enforcement agencies and fire departments), 6 percent working for state agencies, and 5 percent working for ambulance services. The remainder are employed by other types of organizations (including hospitals, private companies that provide emergency services staffing to 911 centers, and educational services).
Starting Out
Many aspiring dispatchers learn about job openings by visiting the employment sections of fire department, police department, and 911 center Web sites. College students can access job-search resources—and receive help with their resumes and interviewing skills—through their school’s career services office. Job listings are also available at the Web sites of professional associations such as the APCO International.
- Airport Security Personnel
- Bail Bondsmen
- Bailiffs
- Bodyguards
- Border Patrol Agents
- Bounty Hunters
- Construction Inspectors
- Corrections Officers
- Court Interpreters and Translators
- Court Reporters
- Crime Analysts
- Criminal Lawyers
- Customs Officials
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Detectives
- Directors of Security
- Emergency Management Directors
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- FBI Agents
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Fire Protection Engineers
- Fire Safety Directors
- Fire Safety Technicians
- Firefighters
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Forensic Experts
- Forensic Meteorologists
- Forest Fire Prevention Specialists
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Genetic Genealogists
- Intelligence Officers
- Judges
- Lawyers
- Legal Nurse Consultants
- Legal Secretaries
- Paralegals
- Park Rangers
- Parole Officers
- Police Officers
- Polygraph Examiners
- Process Servers
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Wildland Firefighters