JOB REPORT / 43-5031 · 18 TASKS

Public Safety Telecommunicators.

Can AI do the work of Public Safety Telecommunicators?

Mostly it works alongside you. Here is what shifts, task by task.

YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS

How does this fit your work?

How many tasks do you use AI to assist with at work?

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The mark shows what’s typical for this job.

The parts of your job AI can already do most of:

Monitor alarm systems to detect emergencies
Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages
Enter, update, and retrieve information from teletype networks…

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A guided certificate program in AI-assisted Public Safety Telecommunicators work. It covers the 17 AI-affected parts of your job and ends in a capstone a person reviews.

WHAT WE LOOKED AT

Your job, task by task.

17 of 18 tasks reviewed

This job has 18 core tasks. We went through 17 of them, one at a time.

Task by task, from the work Public Safety Telecommunicators actually do. How we describe AI use in each task is our own read of it, not a measurement of whether AI can replace the job.

TASK 01
Monitor alarm systems to detect emergencies, such as fires and illegal entry into establishments.
AI DOES
Scans alarm feeds, filters false positives, and flags real alerts in real time
YOU DO
Verify the situation and choose the right emergency response
TASK 02
Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.
AI DOES
Transcribes calls, suggests log entries, and flags missing fields automatically
YOU DO
Verify every detail is correct before it becomes an official emergency record
TASK 03
Enter, update, and retrieve information from teletype networks and computerized data systems regarding such things as wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, and stolen vehicles.
AI DOES
Auto-fills query fields, flags database matches, and surfaces relevant records quickly
YOU DO
Verify every hit, apply legal rules, and decide what action to take in a live emergency
TASK 04
Scan status charts and computer screens, and contact emergency response field units to determine emergency units available for dispatch.
AI DOES
Monitors status screens in real time and highlights available units automatically
YOU DO
Verify unit readiness and make split-second dispatch decisions under pressure
TASK 05
Observe alarm registers and scan maps to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area.
AI DOES
Scans alarm data and overlays map boundaries to flag whether a location falls inside the service area
YOU DO
Confirm edge cases where boundaries are unclear or data conflicts
TASK 06
Maintain files of information relating to emergency calls, such as personnel rosters and emergency call-out and pager files.
AI DOES
Sorts, organizes, and flags outdated records in databases
YOU DO
Verify accuracy and take responsibility for life-safety files
TASK 07
Learn material and pass required tests for certification.
AI DOES
Creates practice quizzes, explains hard concepts, and builds personalized study schedules
YOU DO
Show up, apply judgment, and pass the real proctored exam yourself
TASK 08
Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations.
AI DOES
Scans frequencies, transcribes audio, and flags unusual activity for review
YOU DO
Judge which signals need an immediate response based on experience and local context
TASK 09
Answer routine inquiries, and refer calls not requiring dispatches to appropriate departments and agencies.
AI DOES
Suggests likely department or agency to transfer a caller to based on keywords
YOU DO
Listen for stress, confusion, or hidden danger behind a caller's words
TASK 10
Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures.
AI DOES
Flags call type, suggests priority level, and surfaces relevant protocols from the database
YOU DO
Trust your training and local knowledge to make the final call on what gets dispatched and when
TASK 11
Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.
AI DOES
Drafts message templates, transcribes radio traffic, and flags priority keywords
YOU DO
Own every live relay decision under pressure
TASK 12
Test and adjust communication and alarm systems, and report malfunctions to maintenance units.
AI DOES
Auto-logs error codes, detects signal anomalies, and drafts malfunction reports
YOU DO
Physically test each system and confirm it is safe before clearing it for use
TASK 13
Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.
AI DOES
Pulls up pre-arrival medical instruction scripts and flags key protocol steps
YOU DO
Read the caller's panic, adapt your words in the moment, and decide what matters most right now
TASK 14
Receive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city.
AI DOES
Transcribes calls in real time, suggests response protocols, and auto-fills caller location data
YOU DO
Stay present and calm with distressed callers while making fast life-safety decisions
TASK 15SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials.
AI DOES
Monitors access logs and flags unusual patterns
YOU DO
Decide who gets access and when
About this analysis
43% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 16
Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed.
AI DOES
Suggests structured question prompts and flags key location or threat keywords in a call transcript
YOU DO
Read emotional tone, adapt questions on the fly, and make split-second judgment calls when lives are at stake
TASK 17SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions.
AI DOES
Generates routes and highlights locations instantly
YOU DO
Judge which path fits the real situation
About this analysis
35% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium

START LEARNING AI

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AT A GLANCE

Occupation: Public Safety Telecommunicators
SOC code: 43-5031
Tasks reviewed: 17 of 18

How we assess

PAY & OUTLOOK

Compare pay by state

Median pay (national): $53,040 · BLS OEWS 2025
Median pay (Colorado): $63,520 · BLS OEWS 2025
Employed (national): 102,500
Employed in Colorado: 1,800
Job outlook: +3.5% by 2034 · ~10,700 openings/yr

Wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. National figures cover the United States. Job outlook is national.

How does this fit your work?

Earn a certificate in your job

Your job, task by task.

Monitor alarm systems to detect emergencies, such as fires and illegal entry into establishments.

Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.

Enter, update, and retrieve information from teletype networks and computerized data systems regarding such things as wanted persons, stolen property, vehicle registration, and stolen vehicles.

Scan status charts and computer screens, and contact emergency response field units to determine emergency units available for dispatch.

Observe alarm registers and scan maps to determine whether a specific emergency is in the dispatch service area.

Maintain files of information relating to emergency calls, such as personnel rosters and emergency call-out and pager files.

Learn material and pass required tests for certification.

Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations.

Answer routine inquiries, and refer calls not requiring dispatches to appropriate departments and agencies.

Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures.

Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.

Test and adjust communication and alarm systems, and report malfunctions to maintenance units.

Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.

Receive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city.

Maintain access to, and security of, highly sensitive materials.

Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed.

Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions.

Practice AI.Use your judgment.

Practice AI.
Use your judgment.