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Radio dispatchers work in various fields, including emergency services and transportation, and most positions require a high school diploma or GED. Training is typically done on the job, and helpful traits include excellent communication and organizational skills. Emergency service dispatchers may require additional skills and pre-employment screening, and salaries vary based on experience and training.
There are many routes available to become a radio dispatcher. Careers in this field include jobs with local governments, railroads, taxi services, private freight and document delivery companies, and other businesses. Most positions require a high school diploma or general educational development (GED) certificate as minimal preparation for teaching. While there is an apprenticeship program in the US to train employees to become radio dispatchers, the training for the vast majority of positions is done on the job as the new employee is oriented through the necessary skills. Radio dispatcher positions are generally divided between those related to emergency services and those related to the movement of materials, goods or passengers.
The most common means of becoming a radio dispatcher is through employment with a taxi or limousine service, a railroad, a trucking company, or a freight and document delivery company. As noted above, most training is done on the job, as a supervisor instructs the new employee on company regulations and procedures. Radio dispatchers often work with multi-line phone systems, mobile phones, two-way radios, computers, and even global positioning systems. Helpful traits to help an individual become a radio dispatcher include excellent verbal communication skills, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to quickly recognize and resolve problems. Salaries vary according to the size of the company, any union representation and the degree of training, skill and experience required.
Approximately one-third of all radio dispatcher positions are related to the police, fire and rescue – or ambulance – emergency services. Most of these dispatcher positions are held by local government employees who are responsible for administering the locality’s 911 or emergency services. Additional skills may be required to become a radio dispatcher under these conditions. Minimal typing speed is generally required, as is training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), crisis management, police radio codes, and basic life support (BLS). 911 radio dispatchers often work with civilians and law enforcement, firefighters, or street vendors to coordinate and document emergency services.
Pre-employment screening may be required to become a radio dispatcher associated with a local government police department. These evaluations can consist of criminal background checks, fingerprint card submissions, credit checks and significant evaluation of character references. Certification in CPR or BLS may be required prior to enrollment or before training begins. The training involved in becoming a radio dispatcher for emergency services is generally more formal and longer in duration than training for non-emergency positions due to the urgent and sometimes life-threatening nature of many of the incoming calls. . Salaries are generally higher for this type of radio dispatcher position due to the additional skills required.
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