- customer service skills
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with others
- knowledge of public safety and security
- administration skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
in your day-to-day duties you may:
- keep the caller calm to get essential information
- find out the location and details of what happened
- give basic first aid advice to people facing life-threatening situations
- help people cope until an ambulance arrives
- decide whether the caller needs an ambulance, car, motorbike or helicopter
- work out which vehicle is nearest
- contact the crew and pass on vital information
- create electronic records of calls and events
You could work in a control room.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
With experience, you could become a team leader or control room superintendent.
You can find out more about becoming an emergency medical dispatcher from Health Careers.
