The Dauphin County 911 emergency telecommunicator occupies a critical position within the 911 Communications System. The 911 emergency telecommunicator is the initial and primary contact point for persons needing police, fire and/or medical assistance. It is through the professional 911 emergency telecommunicator that the citizen can be assisted in providing initial life-saving care to an injured or ill person. In addition, the 911 emergency telecommunicator provides a channel for communications among elements of the entire 911 Communications System and between field providers and other public safety agencies.

The 911 emergency telecommunicator is responsible for providing information and special or hazardous scene situations to ensure the safety of responding personnel.

Each time the 911 emergency telecommunicator receives a call for help; they follow a prescribed course of action. The 911 emergency telecommunicator must ask specific questions and make rational decisions based on the answers to those questions. They provide comfort and reassurance to the caller and instruct the caller in life-saving intervention techniques.

Dauphin County 911 Emergency telecommunicators are highly skilled professional employees. Individuals engaged in this field must work and train in order to meet the most stringent professional standards required of them. All Dauphin County telecommunication personnel must continually exercise and refine their acquired public safety skills.

All Dauphin County 911 Emergency Telecommunication Personnel receive initial, upfront training and continuing education training throughout their professional career.

Upon approval for employment, employees attend a 6 week Basic Introduction Telecommunicator Course. This educational environment provides a foundational overview of the roles and responsibilities of the 911 emergency telecommunicator. Hands-on training and operations occurs in the 911 Emergency Communications Center. Employee(s) will receive 15-18 months of intensive, continuous training in order to facilitate the understanding of all dispatch applications in the emergency communications center. The training program is designed to produce a trained employee, not an experience employee. Experience comes with time and exposure to the elements of the job.

Dauphin County Emergency Management Agency is recognized statewide for its 911 telecommunicator training program.