Emergency Services Dispatchers

There are many ways to learn about a career as an emergency services dispatcher. First, visit https://www.911.gov/about to learn about the 911 system. Read trade journals such as Public Safety Communications (https://www.apcointl.org/psc) and the Journal of Emergency Dispatch (https://www.iaedjournal.org) to learn more about the field. Consider joining a law enforcement or fire service explorer post during high school to learn more about careers in these areas. Organizations such as Learning for Life (https://www.exploring.org/health-care), which is affiliated with Scouting America, offer programs that allow young people to explore emergency services careers. Some of these programs might provide you with an opportunity to explore work as a dispatcher or, at minimum, provide the opportunity to speak with dispatchers about their careers.

SkillsUSA (https://www.skillsusa.org) is a national membership organization for middle school, high school, and college students who are interested in pursuing careers in skilled service, technical, and trade careers. It offers competitions that allow young people to test their skills against others. Recent contests of interest to aspiring EMT's include Basic Health Care Skills, First Aid/CPR, Health Knowledge Bowl, and Medical Terminology.