Medical Dispatch Training and employment?

[Relish]

Have been intersted to find out more about Dispatch. I was wondering where a good place is to train for it, as well, I know that SAIT has an 8 month course that covers medical, police and fire dispatch, and there are other 3 day courses that cover just medical. Is it necessary to have all 3 to get a good job, or is there lots of work for those with just Medical training. Also, is there an ACP equivalent with dispatch? Do you have to take a provincial exam and be registered, or once you graduate from a class, are you ready to work. Also, what can one expect for a wage range? Does it pay well enough to make it worth it? I've heard that some are making $22/hr...does that sound right or completely off the mark? Any info on the job and training would be great....

[brentoli]

I can't comment on Canada, but in the states, most agencies do not REQUIRE you to have any certifications before coming on board. They will train you the way they want you to be trained.

It is a good and bad thing. There are two main places to get EMD instructions from, APCO and Powerphone.

If you have a background with public safety that will help you more then any certifications will. When I walk in this room my EMT cert stays at the door because I am now a Powerphone EMD.

Pay is very dependent on your region and who you work for.

There are areas around here that pay much more generously then our agency. And areas that pay much less. A salary survey may be available in your area. I don't know if Canada has anything like NENA but if they do I would check with them.

[Connie31079]

Back in 2001, I took my EMD training, not planning on switching to a full-time dispatch job, but just wanting to have something to "fall back on" incase my back gave out while working on the trucks. I know someday I'll have to give up working the trucks, so I thought this was a good idea.

I took my training from a company that is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The name of the company is called Priority Dispatch. They were awesome!

They actually came to Nova Scotia to give us the course, we didn't have to fly down there to take the course from them, just incase you were wondering!! LOL!

Here's a link to their current EMD courses that are scheduled: http://www.prioritydispatch.net/courses/emdcourses.php

This was just for EMD, not fire or police related. Mine was a 3-day course (as you mentioned), but then I had to go thru additional dispatch training in the actual dispatch center that I untimately worked casual at for a few months. I believe that they DO give the Fire & Police dispatch training courses as well, though....I just never took them.

Hope this helps you somewhat!

Have a great day!

Connie

[Relish]

Thanks for all the info...I"m located in Alberta, and am also looking at it as a second choice-have finished my didactic portion of EMT, but already have messed up my back, so i'd like to have this ready and waiting for me, just in case. This way I can still feel connected to the industry.

Anyone with Alberta info?

[northernmedic]

If you are interested in working in BC we hire lots of dispatchers. We use the MPDS course but you also have to do around 4 additional months of classroom and radio time. Total time is 5 months (paid). Pay starts around $26.00/hr and the schedule is 4 on 6 off. Not a bad gig but pretty high stress and the training course is actually quite challenging. We have 4 EMS dispatch centers which cover the province.

[Connie31079]

Hey Relish:

Was just looking at the link I posted for you earlier, there's an EMD course being offered in Calgary Sept. 28 of this year by Priority Dispatch. (course # 12348)

Don't know if you saw that or not in the link that I'd posted, so just pointing it out to you.

Connie

[Relish]

Must have been sleeping...thanks!

[EMSEDU]

Mt Royal has offered courses in the past as well. I know that the major urban areas (Calgary/Edmonton) require that you take a very specific program (there are 2, I believe, and 1 of them isn't accepted). Calgary dispatch was paying $23 or so a few years ago... but I know that since the amalgamation of dispatch (to fire/police/ems) most staff are miserable, management is frustrating everyone, and the process to get hired sucks (good luck with the polygraph).

However, I know there are many rural areas that have been hiring dispatch lately.

Good luck.

[Relish]

EMSEDU- do you know what type of courses that smaller communities are looking for? That's likely where I'd go, I figured that the cities would be looking for someone trained in all 3, needing to be graduated from a major 8 month course- such as what SAIT offers, that's what I figured anyhow...$23 is pretty good, would likely be less in a small town, but still not horrible I'm sure...

[Bethadone]

In Ottawa the only requirement is standard first aid and CPR. All other training is done in-house - so you don't *necessarily* need to have that 8 month course to work for a larger city dispatch.