911 Operators handle more calls than you can imagine.
An estimated 240 million calls are made to 911 in the United States each year. That works out to about 650,000 calls every single day. While most are not life threatening emergencies, they can be frustrating none-the-less, as they demand valuable resources and time. Imagine having 5 ambulances working your juristiction, 4 of them are already on scene with previous calls, and someone calls in because their feet hurt from too much walking. Policy says you must send help to them, so you do. The crew gets on scene with that patient, and another call comes in with someone who has stopped breathing, or someone who is having a heart attack(you know, a REAL medical emergency). You have no available ambulances to go to this life-threatening emergency because someone's feet hurt.

Every call requires at least seven tasks.
- Question caller regarding emergency
- Help caller to remain calm
- Prioritize other calls
- Provide instructions to the caller, including about life-saving emergency medical interventions
- Contact proper emergency personnel
- Dispatch emergency personnel
- Record details of the call, information provided, and resources dispatched.

The hiring requirements are stringent.
- The ability to think and work efficiently under stress.
- Be an excellent speaker and writer of English(typically able to type 40wpm)
- Know the geographical area, including the names of highways and roads
- Ability to operate a multi-line telephone console system, alerting system, and TDD system for the deaf and hearing-impaired- Ability to translate information into appropriate codes.
- Ability to determine and assign the level of priority of the call and enter the data into a computer-aided dispatch system for radio dispatch purposes.
- Ability to perform emergency medical dispatch and crisis intervention services(in some agencies)
- Ability to monitor and operate a radio console and computer equipment(while also on 911 calls)
- The ability to develop and maintain cooperative and professional relationships with fellow employees, representatives from other departments, and supervisors
- Have to have at least highschool or a GED
- Be an excellent communicator
- Be an excellent problem solver
- Be a quick learner.
- Have no felonies(or even misdemeanors in some agencies)
- Pass a drug screening
- Pass a polygraph(in some agencies)

The training is grueling
Getting hired is just the first hurdle. After that, most states require about 40 hours of initial training, as well as the completion of ongoing, continuing education. Most dispatchers must be trained in the following:
- Advanced First Aid/CPR/AED
- Basic Telecommunications
- Critical Incident Stress
- Domestic Violence
- Emergency Medical Dispatch
- Hazardous Materials
- Suicide Intervention
- Terrorism
- TTY Training

The pay is not great.
The average 911 dispatcher earns around $36,300 a year; the top 10 percent make about $56,580, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

No, they don't know your location.
Many folks believe that when you call 911, the person on the other end of the line knows your location. But it’s not true. With cell phones especially, they can 'ping' off a cell tower, and can give a general location(this could be anywhere from 10 feet to more), or if you are calling from a 911 only phone the location is not always available. That’s why the first question most dispatchers will ask is “What’s the location of the emergency?” What’s more, the location of the caller isn’t always the location of the emergency. The more information you provide, the better your dispatcher can serve you.

Never hang up on a 911 Dispatcher
Every second counts, so even if you called by mistake, it’s important that you do not hang up until you’re told to do so. If you end a 911 call abruptly, the dispatcher has an obligation to investigate and your misdial can end up taking time away from actual emergencies. To minimize that time, always remain on the line until the dispatcher tells you it’s OK to disconnect. If you accidentally dial 911 it is best just to tell them it was a mistake, and give them the information they ask for.

Never dial 911 unless it's an emergency.
The conversation always starts out with, "This is not an emergency but…" and they’re calling for parade times, firework show times, or to complain their power is out. The dispatcher must deal with the call as if it could be an emergency—and that could delay life-saving treatment for someone in a real emergency.

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