CHAIRWOMAN ROSENWORCEL SUPPORTS JOB RECLASSIFICATION OF 911 PROFESSIONALS DUE TO EXPANDED RESPONSIBILITIES
In Honor of ‘National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week’, Rosenworcel Writes
to Office of Management and Budget to Draw Attention to Changing Job
Expectations of 911 Telecommunicator
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2021—Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica
Rosenworcel today in a letter offered to work with the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) and use the next available opportunity to review the current employment classification
of 911 professionals in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. The SOC is a
federal statistical standard, maintained by OMB, used by federal agencies to classify workers
into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.
Historically, 911 professionals have been classified as an “Office and Administrative Support
Occupation.” However, reflective of the technological evolution of their responsibilities and
work, Rosenworcel suggests OMB explore an update to 911 professionals’ classification to
group them with others who work in emergency response in the category.
“911 operators are among our most essential first responders. Before a whistle at a fire station
blows, an ambulance races, or an air horn blares, it is a 911 professional who takes in a call and
sets emergency response in motion,” writes Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “Of course, today’s
911 professionals do far more than answer 911 calls or passively receive information. They
provide assistance, guidance, and life-saving advice to 911 callers, particularly in the critical
minutes before emergency personnel arrive at the scene. They also actively plan, coordinate,
and direct the response activities of emergency personnel, especially when multiple agencies
are involved.”
Rosenworcel’s letter specifically draws attention to the changing role of public safety
telecommunicators as 911 communications technology evolves. As a result of this shift, the
job of the public safety telecommunicator now encompasses not only call-taking and dispatch
but also the integration and analysis of multiple sources of information to determine the
appropriate response to any given emergency. For instance, those who answer calls also are
responsible for the intake and assessment of other information sources, including photos,
videos from police and traffic cameras, and automated alarm and sensor data.
READ FULL LETTER HERE: DOC-382349A1