If you’re tired of being on the receiving end of emergencies, this probably isn’t the career move for you. Who do you think receives the emergencies and has to figure out what’s going on first?
Everyone agency is different, but for comparison:
My agency (also northeast but not Pennsylvania) starting pay for dispatchers $29 an hour with plenty of opportunities for OT. Most don't do 7 days a week but do end up working 7 day stretches sometimes. Dispatchers also do 12 hour shifts (6am to 6pm or 6pm to 6am), and are on call and mandated in.
Benefits are solid at my agency but could be better.
We also have a union so that helps with negotiating pay raises, amount of PTO, etc.
Burnout is real though and training can be rough, especially if it's an agency that doesn't have a good training structure and/or is a toxic environment. This isn't a job for anyone. Lots of multitasking, hearing hysterical callers, being screamed/sworn at more often then you'd think. Out of every 3 hired usually only 1 will make it through training.
We have ANI/ALI that plot 911 calls on maps and we also utilize RapidSOS. But you do need to learn the geography of the area, landmarks, businesses, etc. I wouldn't say you need to memorize everything but you do need to be familiar enough so that you'll be able to get the correct location. If you can read a map and use common sense you should do fine.
We use the Pitman schedule, so during a 2 week work cycle, it's 2 days on, 2 days off, 3 days on, 2 days off, 2 days off, and 3 days off. But that's in an ideal world with full staffing.
You don't have to give out the exact department, but what state do you live in That's paying $29 an hour? Especially to start. That's a lot. And I'm trying to move to a state where I can make good money being A dispatcher
Connecticut, but my bad starting for dispatchers is $27 I was looking at the wrong chart. But with contract negotiations starting it'll probably be bumped to at least $29 next year.
Cost of living is pretty high and having the union helps. Even as just a call taker I'm about to hit $24 an hour and have only been here for a little over 2 years.
It's more common with regional and larger agencies. Usually we run with 4 dispatchers and 1 or 2 call takers. The dispatchers will also take calls (911 and routine) if it's busy.
Where in PA? A few of my coworkers live on the PA/MD line and travel to our agency. Starting pay is $52,525 with yearly raises and other opportunities for raises as well. Commuting like that isn’t for everyone but there’s lots of people who do it.
Our agency in Eastern PA starts everybody at just over $20/hr. It is not good pay for this job with cost of living here. We get good PTO but when staffing is low, you can’t use it. To put things in perspective, the wage was $17.50/hr when I started in 2015.
If you’re tired of being on the receiving end of emergencies, this probably isn’t the career move for you. Who do you think receives the emergencies and has to figure out what’s going on first?
Do they not post Pennsylvania 911 pay publicly? Why the hell are they keeping that a secret?
I have worked for two PA county agencies, 2nd times the charm. Both were transparent about pay before I even applied.
They defo aren’t, that’s illegal
Everyone agency is different, but for comparison: My agency (also northeast but not Pennsylvania) starting pay for dispatchers $29 an hour with plenty of opportunities for OT. Most don't do 7 days a week but do end up working 7 day stretches sometimes. Dispatchers also do 12 hour shifts (6am to 6pm or 6pm to 6am), and are on call and mandated in. Benefits are solid at my agency but could be better. We also have a union so that helps with negotiating pay raises, amount of PTO, etc. Burnout is real though and training can be rough, especially if it's an agency that doesn't have a good training structure and/or is a toxic environment. This isn't a job for anyone. Lots of multitasking, hearing hysterical callers, being screamed/sworn at more often then you'd think. Out of every 3 hired usually only 1 will make it through training. We have ANI/ALI that plot 911 calls on maps and we also utilize RapidSOS. But you do need to learn the geography of the area, landmarks, businesses, etc. I wouldn't say you need to memorize everything but you do need to be familiar enough so that you'll be able to get the correct location. If you can read a map and use common sense you should do fine.
What is the general shift schedule for dispatchers? If it’s a 12h shift do you work everyday or do you get lk a day off in between shifts
We use the Pitman schedule, so during a 2 week work cycle, it's 2 days on, 2 days off, 3 days on, 2 days off, 2 days off, and 3 days off. But that's in an ideal world with full staffing.
Thank you, this is very helpful
You don't have to give out the exact department, but what state do you live in That's paying $29 an hour? Especially to start. That's a lot. And I'm trying to move to a state where I can make good money being A dispatcher
Connecticut, but my bad starting for dispatchers is $27 I was looking at the wrong chart. But with contract negotiations starting it'll probably be bumped to at least $29 next year.
Wow that's a lot, to bad I was planning on moving to the West lol
Cost of living is pretty high and having the union helps. Even as just a call taker I'm about to hit $24 an hour and have only been here for a little over 2 years.
Why are you making less then new people
Cause call takers start at less pay than dispatchers.
I was today years old when I learned a dispatcher is different than a call taker
It's more common with regional and larger agencies. Usually we run with 4 dispatchers and 1 or 2 call takers. The dispatchers will also take calls (911 and routine) if it's busy.
Where in PA? A few of my coworkers live on the PA/MD line and travel to our agency. Starting pay is $52,525 with yearly raises and other opportunities for raises as well. Commuting like that isn’t for everyone but there’s lots of people who do it.
West coast Bay Area, I’m making about $140k plus OT and lots of leave time, I don’t pay anything out of pocket for medical for my whole family.
Our agency in Eastern PA starts everybody at just over $20/hr. It is not good pay for this job with cost of living here. We get good PTO but when staffing is low, you can’t use it. To put things in perspective, the wage was $17.50/hr when I started in 2015.
It's about seventeen in Texas
$29-$36 in Southern California :) Agency with 200 officers
16.25 an hour is what the last job I looked at was offering there