911 dispatcher hiring · Pennsylvania
911 Dispatcher Test & Hiring in Pennsylvania
What actually differs by state is the certification you need, not the skills the test measures. Here is how it works in Pennsylvania — who sets the rules, whether there is a state certification, and where to apply — plus how to practice the hiring test itself.
Who sets the rules in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, standards for 911 telecommunicators are set by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) — 911 Office.
Pennsylvania's 911 centers are county-based, and hiring is done by the individual county PSAP. Under the state's 911 law, PEMA sets minimum training, certification and quality-assurance requirements across defined role levels, and certifies each county's training program. Basic training must meet the national APCO telecommunicator training standard and be completed before you handle emergency calls; program certification is renewed on a two-year cycle with required continuing education.
- •All 911 hiring is done by the county PSAP; PEMA's employment page links out to each county's application site.
- •Statewide candidate minimums include being at least 18, holding a high-school diploma or equivalent, and having no disqualifying criminal history.
Rules change and individual agencies can set requirements above the state minimum, so always confirm the current standard with the official source before you rely on it. Start with PEMA — 911 employment (by county).
The pre-employment test in Pennsylvania
The certification above is what Pennsylvania requires to hold the job. Getting hired first means clearing a pre-employment skills test — and which one you sit depends on the agency, not the state. Some centers use a CritiCall-style skills battery, others use a National Testing Network (ECOMM) assessment, and others run their own. There is no statewide rule that fixes a single vendor, so the posting for the specific role is the only reliable place to find out which test applies to you.
The good news is that it barely matters for how you prepare. Under the different names, these tests measure the same core abilities: fast, accurate data entry, cross-referencing and character comparison, holding caller details in memory, prioritizing incidents, reading comprehension, and typing under a clock — often with something interrupting you mid-task. Those are the skills our drills train, whichever test your Pennsylvania agency ends up using.
DispatchDrills is an independent practice provider. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any state agency, CritiCall's owner Biddle Consulting Group, Inc., or the National Testing Network, Inc. Those names are used here only to describe the assessments our practice material prepares you for.
911 dispatcher hiring in Pennsylvania — common questions
Do you need a state certification to be a 911 dispatcher in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania's 911 centers are county-based, and hiring is done by the individual county PSAP. Under the state's 911 law, PEMA sets minimum training, certification and quality-assurance requirements across defined role levels, and certifies each county's training program. Basic training must meet the national APCO telecommunicator training standard and be completed before you handle emergency calls; program certification is renewed on a two-year cycle with required continuing education. You can confirm the current rules with Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) — 911 Office.
What test do Pennsylvania agencies use to hire dispatchers?
It varies by agency. There is no statewide rule that fixes a single testing vendor, so one Pennsylvania center may use a CritiCall-style skills battery while another uses a National Testing Network (ECOMM) test or its own assessment. The job posting for the specific role is the only reliable source for which test you will sit — and whichever it is, the underlying skills (data entry, cross-referencing, memory, prioritization, typing) are the same ones you can practice here.
Where do I apply to be a 911 dispatcher in Pennsylvania?
Start with PEMA — 911 employment (by county) for the current requirements, then apply to the individual agency or center that is hiring. Dispatcher jobs are posted by the employing PSAP, county, or department rather than through a single statewide portal.
Can I practice the Pennsylvania dispatcher test online?
You can practice the skills the test measures, which is what matters — no legitimate site has the actual questions. DispatchDrills runs timed drills for data entry, cross-referencing, memory, prioritization and typing, with emergency interruptions, so you go in used to working accurately against a clock.