Serving a population of approximately 80,000 residents in an area stretching over 1,836 square miles, as an emergency dispatcher at the Idaho Falls E911 Telecommunications Center you will be on a team of dispatchers who serve as the vital link between people in distress and Bonneville County’s emergency services:
- Idaho Falls Police Department
- Bonneville County Sheriff’s Department
- Idaho Falls Fire/EMS Department
With a call rate of over 100,000 every year, or more than 11.4 calls per hour on average, you will have countless opportunities to demonstrate your acquired skills and save lives each day. This guide will walk you through the steps of how to become a 911 dispatcher in Bonneville County:
 | Strengthen Your Credentials |
 | Apply with the County of Bonneville |
 | In-Service Training |
 | Maintain Your Credentials |
Step 1. Strengthen Your Credentials
Studying for an associate or bachelor degree at one of the local Idaho Falls colleges or online will prepare you for the rigors of the job. Applicable subjects include:
- Communications, where you will learn in-depth effective communication techniques with a wide range of people and mediums
- Psychology, providing you with key skills in stress management and empathizing with what your callers may be going through
- Criminal Justice, giving you a look at how law enforcement and the criminal justice system works
- Emergency Management, preparing you to deal with the worst-case natural and man-made disasters through subjects such as chain of command and emergency communications
Step 2. Apply with the County of Bonneville
By this point you will have developed competitive credentials through appropriate 911 dispatcher training and education and be ready to apply with the county. Your first step in applying for 911 dispatcher jobs in Bonneville County is to check if there are any vacancies posted on the county’s human resources webpage. Here you will also find an option to provide your email address and be notified when 911 dispatcher jobs are available in Bonneville County.
When there are dispatcher positions available you will be able to apply directly through the job announcement. Include the following:
- Employment history
- Three references
- Résumé
- Applicant statement
Step 3. In-Service Training
You will need to begin the following 911 operator training soon after hire with Bonneville County:
- State and national Teletype Computer System Certification
- Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Certification
- Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Dispatch Academy, with courses in:
- Law enforcement dispatch
- Fire dispatch
- Stress management techniques
- Effective communications
- Dispatching technology
You can also benefit from the following elective training:
Step 4. Maintain Your Credentials
As an emergency dispatcher with the Bonneville County you will need to renew your EMD Certification and Teletype training every two years. Besides keeping these current, you can also start to think about leveling up your Idaho POST Dispatch Certification. There are three levels in this classification with an additional option to gain Advanced Dispatch Certification. Progressing up through these is determined by your years of experience and hours of Idaho POST-approved training.
The following agencies are resources where you can find training and educational opportunities to continue improving your 911 emergency dispatching skills:
- Public education and training events through the Idaho Emergency Communication’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Standards and Training Committee
- Idaho Chapter of APCO (APCO)
- American Red Cross of Greater Idaho
- University of Idaho, Idaho Falls Emergency Preparedness
- Idaho POST