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August 22, 2024
911 Telecommunicator Reclassification: Status and
Considerations for Congress
911 telecommunicators (also called 911 call takers or 911
dispatchers) have been referred to as the 'first first
responders (i.e., they are often the initial responders to an
emergency). 911 telecommunicators are not federally
classified as first responders under the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS) Standard Occupational
Classification (SOC) system. Instead, the SOC classifies
911 telecommunicators under office, clerical, and
administrative support occupations. Many in the 911
stakeholder community (e.g., technology providers, public
safety officials, 911 professionals, national 911
associations) disagree with this classification. For example,
in an Alaska Public Media article, a former 911
telecommunicator stated,
Yes, it's answering phones, but it's so not clerical
... We were essentially non-licensed therapists. We
were non-licensed medical professionals. We were
doing CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] on the
phone.
The duties of a 911 telecommunicator are set to become
even more multifaceted with the transition to Next
Generation 911 (NG911), an internet protocol (IP)-based
system. For example, determining the appropriate response
to a 911 call is soon to involve integration of different types
of multimedia transmissions-such as text messages,
streaming video, and photos-directly from the public.
Legislation on reclassification has been introduced in the
118th Congress. One bill would require 911
telecommunicator to be categorized as a protective service
occupation-the same as first responder-under the SOC
system (S. 3556). Another bill would direct the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to consider the
reclassification of 911 telecommunicator (H.R. 6319) as a
protective service occupation under the SOC.
This In Focus provides an overview of the classification of
911 telecommunicators, the potential for reclassification,
and considerations for Congress.
How Are 911 Te ecommunicators
Classified?
The SOC system classifies workers into occupational
categories using data collected on job duties. 911
telecommunicators are classified with office and
administrative support occupations-which include, for
example, receptionists, bill and account collectors, and
customer service representatives. Many in the 911
stakeholder community believe this is not an accurate
description of the role of 911 telecommunicators and have
advocated for reclassification as a protective service
occupation. The BLS describes the protective service
occupations group as workers who provide public safety.
The SOC system is revised periodically through an
interagency SOC Policy Committee, which makes
recommendations to OMB. The last SOC revision occurred
in 2018. Revising the SOC is typically a multiyear process
that begins well in advance of revisions. For example, the
2018 revision process kicked off in 2014. Efforts were
made by the 911 stakeholder community to aid in the
reclassification of 911 telecommunicators in the 2018 SOC
periodic revision cycle. However, according to 911.gov, the
BLS did not recommend-and OMB did not find enough
evidence for-reclassification based on job descriptions
pulled from a variety of public safety answering points
(PSAPs, also called 911 centers).
On June 12, 2024, the BLS posted a notice of solicitation
for the potential 2028 SOC revision. Among other topics,
the BLS asked for public comments on whether to
consider changes to, or consolidation of, selected 2018 SOC
detailed occupations, including specifically public safety
telecommunicators. Comments were due by August 12,
2024.
What Would RedassI fcaton Do?
In 2024, the president and chief executive officer of the
National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
reportedly noted that reclassification at the federal level
wouldn't automatically reclassify dispatchers at the state
level or guarantee them higher pay, but it would give local
governments the opportunity to reevaluate how their
dispatchers are categorized and compensated. Examples of
the potential impacts of reclassification are provided below.
911 staffing shortages are an issue that could be addressed
by reclassification. Data from a February 2023 survey
jointly conducted by the International Academies of
Emergency Dispatch and the National Association of State
911 Administrators indicated that more than 50% of PSAPs
were reported to be facing a staffing crisis. The survey
noted that employees [i.e., 911 telecommunicators] cited
pay increases and better benefits as the top two retention
incentives. According to May 2023 data from the BLS, the
mean annual wage for protective service occupations is
$57,710, while the mean annual wage for office and
administrative support occupations is $47,940.
According to media reports, in some states, 911
telecommunicators were not included in state bonuses that
were made available to first responders who served during
the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Reclassification may provide 911 telecommunicators with
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