Answer The Call In 911 Operator

Let’s face it, most of us didn’t end up working in our first career choice. I still maintain that I would have made an amazing unicorn veterinarian. Perhaps you had a more realistic goal? Something in the public sector? Good news, there might still be hope for you to live out your dreams.

911 Operator gives you the chance to be one of the unsung heroes of emergency services. Currently seeking $6,998 on Kickstarter, the game puts you in the headset of a 911 dispatcher. Thanks to OpenStreetMap! integration you can download almost any city to work from, saving virtual lives in your own backyard.

Working from actual 911 transcripts, the developers have created over 50 different types of calls for operators to resolve. Everything from serious and life-threatening emergencies to bizarre disturbances. Players will have to provide real First Aid instructions to distressed callers. The only way to make 911 Operator feel more authentic would involve endangering real lives, which is frowned upon.

Players get to juggle between management and duty modes. Duty mode consists of the daily work, answering phones and dispatching teams. Once they’ve completed an in-game day of work, players shift over to deal with the management aspects of the job. This is also when they will gain access to after action reports to find out what happened to the callers they helped during the day.

The game looks solid and (with a little funding polish) could actually pass for an edutainment title. Three of the game’s developers have previously worked in different facets of public service. Additional consultation was also provided by professional officers and medics to make 911 Operator‘s experience as authentic as possible.

EMSA should really considering stepping up to endorse this project. 911 Operator looks like it would be a good introduction to a career in emergency services. You know, if your first choice doesn’t work out.