There’s no denying it, public safety is a critical part of our society. Americans place approximately 240 million calls to 9-1-1 year over year. Reaching out to emergency services is just one way that we build a sense of public order and safety.
What is public safety, exactly? As it turns out, public safety is actually a very broad term with people pursuing many different career paths. Want to learn more about this exciting and rewarding field?
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know!
What Is Public Safety?
In the most general sense, public safety refers to the act of protecting the public. This is accomplished in a number of different ways, including protecting the public from violent and property crimes. It also encompasses protecting the public from things like environmental disasters, building safe homes and businesses, and flight safety.
The more you think about the small details that keep people safe on a daily basis, the more you realize just how massive the field of public safety is.
Who Works in Public Safety?
Thinking about the breadth of public safety careers is overwhelming. When it comes to working in public safety, there are six main career paths that stand out.
Law Enforcement Officers
You might call them cops or police or the sheriff’s department. They go by many, many different names, but law enforcement officers are some of the most visible public safety workers out there.
Law enforcement officers operate in a number of different ways. Some patrol communities and respond when citizens call in concerns or emergencies. Others are detectives that do the majority of their work after a crime has occurred.
Working as a law enforcement officer is one of the most thrilling and rewarding career paths you can take if you have a passion for public safety.
Firefighters
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a single person who isn’t a fan of firefighters. After all, they run into burning buildings and help save people from car accidents and collapsed buildings. Their work is undeniably intense and physical.
Firefighters often work hand-in-hand with paramedics to keep communities safe.
Paramedics
One of the biggest sources of peace for US citizens is the knowledge that, if you have a medical emergency, there’s a number you can call to have medical services brought to your door. That’s where paramedics come in. They help ensure that you get the care you need to stay as safe as possible and they bring you right to the emergency room.
Call Center Operators (Dispatchers)
Emergency call center operators are the heart of public safety. They take your emergency calls and send out the services you need as soon as possible. While you wait, they walk you through the steps you can take to stay safe until help arrives.
Private Security
While law enforcement officers are tasked with upholding the law and protecting citizens, private security personnel ensure the safety of specific individuals, properties, or assets. In addition to their primary responsibility of preventing theft or vandalism, they often serve as the first responders during emergencies within their jurisdiction, liaising closely with public law enforcement and other emergency services.
Animal Control Services
Animal control officers play a crucial role in public safety by handling and removing animals that might pose a threat to individuals or communities. From stray dogs to wild animals in urban settings, these officers are trained to manage potentially dangerous situations. Beyond immediate threats, they also ensure that communities are safe from potential diseases or disruptions caused by animals.
Public Safety Career Tips
If you see a career in public safety in your future, you’re probably wondering what you can do to get your foot in the door. The answer to that question largely depends upon the area of public safety in which you want to work.
For example, if you see yourself as a law enforcement officer, you might start out with a career in the US military. You can also attend college and study criminal justice. Some colleges also offer degrees in public safety that feature an emphasis in things like criminal justice and homeland security.
One of the best ways to find out how to get started in different public safety fields is to talk to the people who work in those fields. What are they looking for when they hire new people? What did they do to qualify for their positions?
Finally, if you are currently in school, talk to your career counselor for advice on how to augment your degree program to meet your career goals.
What Tools Do Public Safety Officers Use?
We know that there are many different public safety career paths, but you might also be wondering about the cool tech they get to work with on a regular basis. Public safety officers utilize a number of different tools including public safety software, that help them maintain public security. Here are a few things you can look forward to.
Computer Aided Dispatch Software
Computer aided dispatch software (CAD) is a powerful system that helps public safety officers communicate with each other on multiple levels, including CAD integration. Law enforcement officers communicate with dispatch using this system, and it includes things like integrated mapping, chat messaging, automated timestamping, and much, much more.
CAD software is available in multiple forms, including mobile and cloud-based. It’s the perfect solution for public safety officers who are always on the go.
Medical Equipment
Public safety officers must always be ready for medical emergencies. This means that they need to have medical equipment on hand to stabilize people until they can be taken to an emergency room.
Medical equipment can be things as small as naloxone sprays for people experiencing overdoses and EpiPens for people experiencing allergic reactions. It also includes more complex equipment like defibrillators and ventilators. Basically, anything that you can think of to keep someone alive needs to be on board an ambulance.
Emergency Vehicles
One of the coolest things about working in public safety is that you don’t have to drive your own vehicle. Law enforcement officers drive police cars or SUVs, paramedics drive ambulances, and firefighters drive massive firetrucks. That doesn’t include more advanced vehicles for things like SWAT or mobile surgical units.
Are You Passionate About Building a Safe Community?
What is public safety?
As it turns out, public safety is a term that refers to a diverse variety of career paths and a community goal. Whether you’re exploring your career options or just looking to build a safe community, public safety is something everyone should know about. Staying on top of the latest trends and technologies in this area is a great way to bolster your community’s safety.
Are you looking for cutting edge computer aided dispatch software for your public security business? Look no further! Contact 10-8 Systems today to learn how we can help you take your business to the next level.