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RSSLawmakers Introduce Legislation to Reclassify 9-1-1 Dispatchers
In 2017, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) did not update the way 9-1-1 professionals are classified in the SOC after a push by public-safety groups to change their classification to a protective service occupation. OMB determined that public-safety telecommunicators would continue to be designated as office and administrative support occupations.
“From dispatching first responders to using advanced technology to retrieve locations, the work 9-1-1 operators do is essential during emergencies,” said Burr. “As the co-chair of the Congressional Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus, I’m honored to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleague, Sen. Klobuchar, to better recognize the specialized training and critical responsibilities of these professionals.”
The SOC is a tool used by federal agencies to classify the workforce into useful, occupational categories. The SOC system categorizes 9-1-1 call-takers and dispatchers as office and administrative support occupations, which also includes secretaries, office clerks and taxi cab dispatchers. The 9-1-1 SAVES Act would instead recognize these dispatchers as protective service occupations, which includes lifeguards, firefighters, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) baggage screeners, among others.
Rep. Norma Torres also introduced a companion bill, H.R. 1629, in the House of Representatives.
“No matter where you are, if you dial 9-1-1, dispatchers are there to connect you to first responders,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation makes important updates to the classification of 9-1-1 dispatchers to better capture the complex and technical nature of their occupations while also providing valuable statistical tools for federal agencies. I’m proud to work with Sen. Burr to properly highlight dispatchers’ roles as safety leaders during times of crisis and the work they do to keep our communities safe.”
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