thumb|A dispatcher
A dispatcher is a communications worker who receives and transmits information to coordinate operations of other personnel and vehicles carrying out a service. Emergency organizations including police departments, fire departments, and emergency medical services departments as well as civilian organizations such as motorcycle couriers, taxicab providers, trucking companies, railroads, bus systems, and public utility companies, use dispatchers to relay information, direct personnel, and coordinate their operations.
Types of dispatchers
Emergency dispatchers
thumb|right|A dispatcher in [[Germany at work with an accident involving a tram]]
An emergency dispatcher, also known as public safety dispatcher, 9-1-1 dispatcher, or public safety telecommunicator receives calls from individuals who require emergency services, including police services, firefighting, and emergency medical services. Once information is obtained from the caller, the dispatcher activates the appropriate services necessary to respond to the nature of the call for help. The dispatcher also obtains and relays pertinent information to the field units to help ensure the adequacy and safety of the response.
Emergency dispatchers may use preapproved protocols to talk a caller or bystander through lifesaving medical procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, childbirth, and first aid. They may require certification.
In the United States, about 10% of all dispatchers employed in 2004 were public safety dispatchers.
Transportation and service dispatchers
A number of other organizations use dispatchers to respond to service calls, coordinate transportation schedules, and to organize the delivery of materials:
- A truck dispatcher is employed by a trucking company to monitor the delivery of freight over long distances and coordinate delivery pickup and drop-off schedules.
- A bus dispatcher monitors the schedules of their bus fleet and address any problems that arise during their operations.
- A tow-truck dispatcher responds to calls for emergency roadside assistance.
- A gas and water service dispatcher monitors their respective utilities and receive calls for emergency assistance that involve gas lines and water mains.
- A train dispatcher uses flags or other means to signal to the driver it is clear to depart, ensuring passenger safety.
In the United States, about 26% of all dispatchers employed in 2004 worked for transportation and warehousing industries.
thumb|300px|A crew dispatcher keeping track of train crew assignments in [[Penn Central]]
A crew dispatcher is also employed by the railroad to keep track of train crews and their assignments. The crew dispatcher is responsible for assigning train crew to trains based upon scheduled rosters, and also making real-time adjustments as necessary based on rail traffic conditions and delays. The crew dispatcher is normally assisted by a crew caller whose responsibility is to telephone the train and engine crews to advise them of time to report for duty. The crew dispatcher is also responsible for checking that each train and engine crew are properly qualified for their assignments and have had proper rest according to labour regulations.
Airline or flight dispatchers
A flight dispatcher assists in planning flight paths, taking into account wind speed, storms, aircraft performance and loading, and other conditions. Some dispatchers provide a flight following service and advise pilots if conditions or paths change. They usually work in the operations or control center of the airline.
Working conditions and environment
thumb|Dispatcher at work. (1992)
Dispatchers are responsible for monitoring all of the communications within a specific geographic area. Public safety dispatchers are responsible for all emergency communications that occur within the jurisdiction of their department. These workers receive and document incoming calls, transmit messages to appropriate personnel, and keep logs of the daily activities of their personnel. Public safety dispatchers usually work in a police station, a fire station, or a hospital. The working conditions of a public safety dispatcher may be particularly stressful compared to others because handling a call incorrectly may delay or misdirect emergency personnel, which could result in serious injury or even death. Nineteen people died and forty-eight were injured in a crash where the dispatcher allowed a passenger train to leave a station when a freight train was approaching the station on the same line.