Master the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator Exam

By Peterson's

Master the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator Exam provides everything you need to succeed on the exam, including two full-length practice tests, thorough review of every question type on the exam, proven test-taking strategies to help you score higher, and comprehensive information for beginning and advanced-level emergency personnel. Also, expert tips on how to best analyze job announcements and interviewing successfully are included to give you an edge over the competition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peterson's
• Release date: Sep 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9780768940626

Book preview

Peterson’s®

Master the

Public Safety

Dispatcher/

911 Operator

Exam

4th Edition

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About Peterson’s®

Peterson’s® is excited to be celebrating 50 years of trusted educational publishing. It’s a milestone we’re quite proud of, as we continue to provide the most accurate, dependable, high-quality education content in the field, providing you with everything you need to succeed. No matter where you are on your academic or professional path, you can rely on Peterson’s publications and its online information at www.petersons.com for the most up-to-date education exploration data, expert test-prep tools, and the highest-quality career success resources—everything you need to achieve your educational goals.

For more information, contact Peterson’s, 3 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203-5158;

800-338-3282 Ext. 54229; or visit us online at www.petersons.com.

© 2015 Peterson’s®, a Nelnet® company. All rights reserved.

Peterson’s is a registered service mark of Nelnet, Inc.

Previous editions published as Emergency Dispatcher/911 Operator Exam © 1997, 2001 and as Peterson’s® Master the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator Exam © 2009

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, or information storage and retrieval systems—without the prior written permission of the publisher.

For permission to use material from this text or product, complete the Permission Request Form at www.petersons.com/permissions.

e-ISBN: 978-0-7689-4062-6

Fourth Edition

Contents

Before You Begin

How to Use This Book

Special Study Features

You’re Well On Your Way to Success

Give Us Your Feedback

Part I: Working for the Government

1 Jobs with Federal, State, and Local Governments

Where the Jobs Are: Federal Civilian Employment

The Merit System

Where the Jobs Are: State and Local Governments

Where to Find Out About Government Job Openings

The Format of the Government Job Announcement

Summing It Up

2 What Public Safety Dispatchers and 911 Operators Do

The Nature of the Work

Employment and Job Outlook

The Public Safety Dispatcher Hiring Process

Summing It Up

Part II: All About Civil Service Exams

3 Civil Service Exams Explained

Taking a Civil Service Exam

Manage Your Test Time

Should You Guess?

How Your Exam Is Scored

Twelve Tips to Raise Your Score

Summing It Up

Part III: Preparing for the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

4 Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Practice Reading Comprehension Questions

Police-Related Practice Reading Comprehension Questions

Answers and Explanations

More Practice Questions

Exercise 1

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 2

Answers and Explanations

Summing It Up

5 Vocabulary and Spelling

Vocabulary on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Practice Vocabulary Questions

Answers and Explanations

More Practice Questions

Answers and Explanations

Spelling on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Practice Spelling Questions

Exercise 1

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 2

Answers and Explanations

Summing It Up

6 Clerical Skills

Typing on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Typing Exercises

Address Checking on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Address-Checking Practice Sets

Practice Set 1

Answers and Explanations

Practice Set 2

Answers and Explanations

Practice Set 3

Answers and Explanations

Practice Set 4

Answers and Explanations

Address-Checking Exercises

Exercise 1

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 2

Answers and Explanations

Name and Number Comparison Questions on the Public Safety

Dispatcher Exam

Name and Number Comparison Exercises

Exercise 1

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 2

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 3

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 4

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 5

Answers and Explanations

Summing It Up

7 Following Oral Directions

Oral Directions Exercises on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Tips for Answering Oral Directions Exercises

Summing It Up

8 Personality Assessments

Personality Assessments on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Personality Assessment Variations

How Personality Assessments Differ from Interviews

Sample Personality Assessment

Reviewing Your Responses

Summing It Up

9 Scenario Questions

Scenario Questions on the Public Safety Dispatcher Exam

Practice Scenario Questions

Answers and Explanations

Summing It Up

Part IV: Two Practice Tests

Practice Test 1

Answers and Explanations

Practice Test 2

Answers and Explanations

Part V: Appendixes

A. Career Information Resources

How To Get A Government Job

Public Safety Dispatcher Jobs

Job Requirements for Public Safety Dispatchers

Mastering the Interview

What to Expect on the Medical Examination

A Reward for Patience

B. Public Safety Dispatcher Glossary

C. 400 Frequently Misspelled Words

Before You Begin

Congratulations! You have in your hands a powerful tool to ensure your best chances of getting a great score on the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator exam. By working through this book, taking time to practice the sample exercises, and studying the various strategies and techniques for tackling various question types, you will put yourself at a significant advantage for achieving a top-notch score.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is designed as a teach-yourself training course, complete with test-taking tips and strategies, exercises, and two full-length Practice Tests.

Part I is a review of jobs with the municipal (city), state, and federal governments and private industry. You’ll find information on the various types of public safety dispatcher careers available, with descriptions of the typical dispatcher work environment, earnings potential, and the hiring process. If you are new to public safety dispatching, the number of job opportunities available in this field may surprise you. Did you know that almost 300,000 jobs in the United States are in the field of dispatching?

Part II explains the civil service exams. It describes how to take a civil service exam and provides tips for maximizing your score. By learning about the civil service exam process, you will be better prepared to do well on your particular test.

Part III is a review of the specific types of questions you’re most likely to see on the public safety dispatcher exam. Because qualifying exams for public safety dispatchers vary greatly from state to state and from one municipality to another, we cannot predict exactly what question types you’ll encounter on your exam. Each sector has its own requirements and tests, but as you will see, certain types of questions will appear on most civil service exams, regardless of the type of test you’re taking. If you thoroughly review the test question types in this section of the book, you will be well prepared when you take the exam. We suggest you review this section carefully to get a good idea of where your strengths and weaknesses lie, so that you’ll know where to focus your studies.

Part IV provides two full-length practice tests, including detailed answer explanations for each question. These tests are closely patterned after actual public safety dispatcher exams. Time limits, level of difficulty, question styles, and scoring methods all conform to the examinations for which they are meant to prepare you.

Try to set aside the full amount of time for each exam and take it in one sitting, as you would on your actual test day. Time yourself, and stop working when time is up. Check your answers against the correct answers provided in the book. Carefully study all the answer explanations—even for questions you answered correctly. You’ll develop a better understanding about how best to answer actual exam questions and the reasoning behind the correct answer choices.

Regardless of which test you think you’ll be taking, try to get through all of the practice exercises and both of the full-length exams in this book. It may seem like a lot of extra work, but you never know where you may end up. You may be interested in a job with a local city government but end up working for a private company instead. Or perhaps the exam you are hoping to take will not be administered for another year, but another type of test is scheduled for next month. It’s always best to be prepared.

The Appendixes at the end of the book provide information on finding and getting a job with the federal government or with a state, municipal, or local government. We also provide a glossary of definitions for some of the most important and frequently used terms you can expect to see when studying for your exam, and a list of 400 frequently misspelled words that you may encounter in the spelling section of your exam.

SPECIAL STUDY FEATURES

Master the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator Exam is designed to be as user-friendly as it is complete. To this end, it includes two features to make your preparation more efficient.

Overview

Each chapter begins with a bulleted overview listing the topics covered in the chapter. This will allow you to quickly target the areas in which you are most interested.

Bonus Information

As you work your way through the book, check the margins to find bonus information and advice. You’ll find the following kinds of information:

Note

Notes highlight need-to-know information about the public safety dispatcher/911 operator exams, whether it’s details about applying and scoring or the structure of a question type.

Tip

Tips provide valuable strategies and insider information to help you score your best on your exam.

Alert!

Alerts do just what they say—alert you to common pitfalls and misconceptions you might face or hear regarding these exams.

Summing It Up

Each chapter ends with a point-by-point summary that reviews the most important items in the chapter. The summaries offer a convenient way to review key points.

YOU’RE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

You’ve made the decision to become a public safety dispatcher or 911 operator. Peterson’s® Master the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator Exam will help prepare you for the steps you’ll need to take to achieve your goal—from scoring high on the exam to finding the best dispatcher or operator job for you. Good luck!

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK

Peterson’s publishes a full line of books—test prep, education exploration, financial aid, and career preparation. Peterson’s publications can be found at high school guidance offices, college libraries and career centers, and your local bookstore and library. In addition, you can find Peterson’s products online at www.petersonsbooks.com. Peterson’s books are also available as ebooks.

We welcome any comments or suggestions you may have about this publication. Please call our customer service department at 800-338-3282 Ext. 54229 or send an e-mail message to [e-mail]. Your feedback will help us make educational dreams possible for you—and others like you.

Part I

Working for the Government

CHAPTER 1: Jobs with Federal, State, and Local Governments

CHAPTER 2: What Public Safety Dispatchers and 911 Operators Do

Chapter 1

Jobs with Federal, State, and Local Governments

Overview

• Where the jobs are: Federal civilian employment

• The merit system

• Where the jobs are: State and local governments

• Where to find out about government job openings

• The format of the government job announcement

• Summing it up

Government service is one of the nation’s largest sources of employment. About 17 million employed persons in the United States work in some form of civilian government service. Of those government employees, over 80 percent are employed by state or local governments. The remainder work for the federal government.

Government employees represent a significant portion of the nation’s workforce. They are present in cities, small towns, and remote and isolated places such as lighthouses and forest ranger stations. A small number of federal employees even work overseas. In this chapter, we will outline the various types of careers available in the federal, state, and local governments of the United States.

WHERE THE JOBS ARE: FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the federal government is the nation’s largest employer, with nearly 3 million full-time civilian workers in the United States, including postal employees. Although the headquarters of most federal departments and agencies are in the Washington, DC, area, eight out of ten federal jobs are located outside the nation’s capital. Federal jobs exist throughout the United States—and throughout the world. In fact, approximately 90,000 federal employees work outside the United States, most of them in embassies or defense installations.

Many federal occupations are similar to jobs in the private sector, such as those in accounting, computer programming, and health care. Other types of employment opportunities are unique to the federal government, such as regulatory inspectors, Foreign Service officers, and Internal Revenue Service agents. More than 100 agencies and bureaus exist within the federal government, and each has specific employment needs. The numerous job opportunities with the federal government include careers in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

The executive branch employs the majority of federal workers. This includes the Office of the President, the cabinet departments, and about 100 independent agencies, commissions, and boards. The executive branch is responsible for administering federal laws, handling international relations, conserving natural resources, treating and rehabilitating disabled veterans, delivering U.S. mail, conducting scientific research, maintaining the flow of supplies to the Armed Forces, and administering other programs that promote the health and welfare of the people of the United States.

The Department of Defense, which includes the Joint Chiefs and the Departments of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, is the largest department in the executive branch of the federal government. It employs about 30 percent of all civilian government workers. Employees of the U.S. Postal Service account for another 20 percent of federal workers. Other federal jobs are distributed among other agencies in the government, including large employers such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury.

Some agencies in the executive branch do not fall under the jurisdiction of these large departments. These independent agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), account for fewer than 200,000 federal jobs, but they should be considered when searching for government employment.

Federal civilian employment is also available in the legislative branch, which includes Congress, the Government Printing Office, the Government Accountability Office, and the Library of Congress. The judicial branch, the smallest employer of the federal government, hires people for work within the courts system.

Note

Although the headquarters of most government departments and agencies are in Washington, DC, only a small percentage of federal employees work there. Federal employees are stationed in all parts of the United States and its territories and in many other countries, as well.

Professional Occupations

Because of its wide range of responsibilities, the federal government employs professional workers in a broad variety of occupational fields. Professional jobs account for approximately 90 percent of all federal civilian jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one fourth of all federal employees work in management, finance, or business.

Management

Upper-level managers are responsible for directing the activities of government agencies; mid-level managers supervise various government programs and projects. Senators and legislators are considered part of management because they are responsible for overseeing the executive branch of the government.

Finance and Business

Accountants and auditors with the federal government analyze financial reports and investigate government spending and inefficiencies. The Government Accountability Office, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of the Treasury employ accounting experts and budget administrators.

Additional business experts work in purchasing, cataloging, storage, and supply distribution, which occur on a large scale in the federal government. These include managerial and administrative positions—such as supply management officers, purchasing officers, and inventory management specialists—and a great number of specialized clerical positions. Most of these jobs are with the Department of Defense.

Professions Requiring Specialized Training

Another one fourth of federal workers include professionals who have earned a specialized degree, including lawyers, doctors, computer experts, scientists, and engineers. The majority of these employees work in life sciences, physical sciences, or social science.

Life Sciences

Biologists, geologists, and forest technicians determine the effectiveness of new medications, predict hurricanes, and prevent forest fires in national parks and other federally owned land. The federal government, mostly in the Departments of Agriculture and Interior, employs about 60,000 biological and agricultural science workers, many of whom work in forestry and soil conservation. Others administer farm assistance programs.

Physical Sciences

The Departments of Defense, Interior, and Commerce typically employ physical scientists such as chemists, physicists, meteorologists, and cartographers. Opportunities also exist for physical science technicians, meteorological technicians, and cartography technicians.

Approximately 137,000 federal employees are nurses, surgeons, and physicians who work in hospitals or in medical, dental, and public health services. Other occupations in this field include dieticians, technologists, and physical therapists. Technician and aide jobs include medical technicians, medical laboratory aides, and dental assistants. Health-care employees work primarily for the Veterans Administration; others work for the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Social Sciences

Economists and other social science experts are employed throughout the government. Psychologists and social workers work primarily for the Veterans Administration; foreign affairs and international relations specialists typically find employment with the Department of State. Social insurance administrators are employed largely by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Engineering and Mathematics

Many government departments require the expertise of engineers to construct bridges, develop computer systems, and design spacecraft. The Department of Defense employs experts in electronics, surveying, and drafting. Computer software engineers and computer network administrators are necessary throughout the government to write computer programs, analyze data, and ensure that computer systems run smoothly.

Professional mathematicians, statisticians, mathematics technicians, and statistical clerks work in the federal government, primarily with the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Commerce, and Health and Human Services.

Law

The federal government employs thousands of people in the legal field: attorneys, paralegals, passport examiners, and tax law specialists among many others. In addition, federal positions are available for claims examiners.

Other Professional Fields

Nearly 30 percent of all federal jobs consist of office and administrative support. Employees in this area assist management with administrative duties. All federal departments and agencies employ general clerical workers, such as information and record clerks and administrative assistants. Office machine operators, stenographers, clerk-typists, mail- and file-clerks, telephone operators, and workers in computer and related occupations are categorized as office support personnel. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, administrative support jobs are declining because of the increased use of automation and computers.

Some government workers are engaged in administrative work related to private business and industry. They arrange and monitor contracts with and purchase goods and services from companies in the private sector. Administrative occupations in this area include contract and procurement specialists, production control specialists, and Internal Revenue Service officers.

Eight percent of federal employees work in service occupations, including officers at federal prisons, criminal investigators, and health regulatory inspectors, many of whom are employed by the Departments of Justice or Agriculture. Local and state governments are the primary employers of firefighters, police officers, and prison guards.

Employment Requirements

Requirements for professional jobs with the federal government vary widely, from a postsecondary degree to a high school diploma. An undergraduate or advanced degree is usually required for occupations in physics, engineering, ecology, and law. Office clerk positions may not require a specific level of education or experience; other federal jobs may require some combination of education and experience for job consideration.

Prospective employees for administrative and managerial positions are usually not required to have knowledge of a specialized field. Instead, they must indicate a potential for future development by having obtained an undergraduate degree from a four-year college or by having responsible job experience. New employees usually begin as trainees and learn their duties on the job. Typical entry-level positions in management include budget analyst, claims examiner, purchasing specialist, administrative assistant, and personnel specialist.

Job seekers with a high school diploma or the equivalent can find entry-level government work as technicians, clerical workers, or aides/assistants. Many of these positions require no previous experience or training. Entry-level positions are usually trainee spots. Individuals with junior college or technical school training or who have specialized skills may enter these occupations at higher levels. Typical jobs include engineering technicians, supply clerks, clerk-typists, and nursing assistants.

Skilled-Labor Occupations

Skilled-labor occupations in fields such as construction, janitorship, and some service jobs provide full-time employment for nearly 300,000 federal workers. About 75 percent of these government workers are employed with the Department of Defense in naval shipyards, arsenals, Army depots, and in construction, harbor, flood control, irrigation, or reclamation projects. Others work for the Veterans Administration, the Postal Service, the General Services Administration, the Department of the Interior, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The largest single skilled-worker group consists of manual laborers. Many others are employed in machine tool and metalwork, motor vehicle operation, warehousing, and food preparation and service. The federal government employs workers in maintenance and repair work—such as electrical and electronic equipment installation and repair—and in vehicle and industrial equipment maintenance and repair. Each of these fields requires a range of skill levels and employs workers in a variety of occupations comparable to those in the private sector.

Although the federal government employs skilled workers in many different fields, about half are concentrated within a small number of occupations. The largest group consists of skilled mechanics, who work as air-conditioning, aircraft, automobile, truck, electronics, sheet metal, and general maintenance mechanics. Another large group is employed as painters, pipefitters, carpenters, electricians, and machinists. Others are warehouse workers, truck drivers, general laborers, janitors, and food service workers.

Employment Requirements

Prospective employees who have previous training in a skilled trade may apply for a position with the federal government at the journey level. Those with no previous training may apply for appointment to one of several apprenticeship programs. These programs generally last four years, during which trainees receive classroom and on-the-job training. After completing an apprenticeship, an employee is eligible for a journey-level position. A number of federal positions require little or no prior training or experience; these include janitors, maintenance workers, and messengers.

THE MERIT SYSTEM

More than 90 percent of jobs in the federal government fall under a merit system. The Civil Service Act, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), covers six out of ten federal titles. This act was passed by Congress to ensure that federal employees are hired based on individual merit and fitness. It provides for competitive examinations and the selection of new employees from among the most qualified applicants.

Some federal jobs are exempt from civil service requirements, either by law or by action of the OPM. However, most of these positions are covered by separate merit systems for other agencies, such as the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Earnings, Advancement, and Working Conditions

Several decades ago, most federal civilian employees were paid according to one of three major pay systems: the General Pay Schedule, the Federal Wage System, or the Postal Service Schedule. Today, however, new pay plans have been developed that are unique to their individual agencies. Because we are focusing specifically on public safety dispatcher positions, we will discuss only the General Pay Schedule and the Federal Wage System as they currently operate.

General Pay Schedule

Most federal workers are paid under the General Schedule (GS), a pay scale for workers in professional, administrative, technical, and clerical jobs, as well as for those working as guards and messengers. GS jobs are divided by the OPM into fifteen grades, according to the difficulty of duties and responsibilities and the knowledge, experience, and skills required of the workers in that pay grade. GS pay rates are set by Congress, and they apply to government workers nationwide. Pay rates are reviewed annually to determine whether they are comparable to salaries of equivalent workers in the private sector. They are generally subject to upward adjustment for regions where the cost of living is very high; in areas with a low cost of living, GS pay may exceed that of private-sector workers.

Most employees receive within-grade pay increases at one-, two-, or three-year intervals if their work is acceptable. Within-grade increases may also be given in recognition of high-quality service. Some managers and supervisors receive increases based on job performance rather than on time served in a specific grade level.

High school graduates with no related work experience usually start at the GS-2 level. Some who have specialized skills begin at grade GS-3. Graduates of two-year colleges and technical schools often begin at the GS-4 level; those who have a bachelor’s degree and are appointed to professional and administrative jobs such as statisticians, economists, writers and editors, budget analysts, accountants, and physicists typically enter the government workforce at grades GS-5 or GS-7, depending on experience and academic record. A master’s degree, Ph.D., or equivalent experience enables people to begin working for the government at the GS-9 or GS-11 level. Advancement to higher grades generally depends upon ability, work performance, and high-level job openings.

GENERAL SCHEDULE

(Range of Salaries)

Effective as of January 1, 2015

The Federal Wage System

Most federal skilled laborers are paid according to the Federal Wage System. Under this system, craft, service, and manual workers earn hourly wages based on the local prevailing rates paid by private employers for similar work. As a result, the federal government wage rate for an occupation varies by locality. This commitment to meeting the local wage scale allows federal wage earners to bring home a weekly paycheck comparable to what they would earn in the private sector while receiving the benefits and security of a government job. The federal wage earner has the best of all possible worlds in this regard. Federal government employees work a standard 40-hour week. Employees who are required to work overtime may receive premium rates for the additional time or compensatory time off later. Most employees work 8 hours a day, five days a week, Monday through Friday. In some cases, the nature of the work requires a modified workweek. Annual earnings for most full-time federal workers are not affected by seasonal factors.

Federal employees earn thirteen days of vacation time each year during their first three years of service, twenty days each year until the end of their fifteenth year of service, and twenty-six days each year of service thereafter. In addition, workers who are members of military reserve organizations are granted up to fifteen days of paid military leave annually for training purposes. Although federal layoffs are uncommon, any federal worker who is laid off is entitled to unemployment compensation similar to what is available for employees in the private sector.

Other benefits available to most federal employees include a contributory retirement system, optional participation in low-cost group life and health insurance programs, which are partly supported by the government (as the employer), and training programs to develop maximum job proficiency and help workers achieve their highest potential. These training programs may be conducted in government facilities or at private educational facilities, at the government’s expense.

WHERE THE JOBS ARE: STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, state and local governments provide an enormous and expanding source of job opportunities in a wide variety of occupational fields. State and local government agencies in the United States employ about 14 million people; nearly three fourths of these employees work in units of local government, such as counties, municipalities, towns, and school districts. Job distribution varies greatly from that of federal government service. Defense, international relations and commerce, immigration,