Are you looking for an exciting and rewarding career where you can be a part of a team that helps save lives every day?
Are you able to stay calm while providing excellent customer service in emergency situations?

If so, why not make a positive impact on others by answering the call that will make a difference in someone's life as a Public Safety Telecommunicator (911 Operator/Dispatcher0

Under general supervision, the selected candidate for Public Safety Telecommunicator will be responsible for receiving, processing, relaying, and responding to emergency and non-emergency calls for assistance, as well as providing information and referrals for police, fire, emergency medical services, and other public safety-related matters; works on an assigned/rotation shift and overtime when operations necessitate; attend and successfully complete the Basic Dispatch Academy and On-The-Job ( OJT ) training for the Public Safety Telecommunicator (911 Operator/Dispatcher) to include achievement of all required certifications and completion of OJT as designated by the Department of Criminal Services ( DCJS ) within a twenty-four (24) month period.

This is an Alpha classified position requiring employees to work during inclement weather, catastrophic events, and major/emergency situations regardless of the City's operational status and is subject to respond immediately for duty.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Operates a multi-line emergency telephone system for receiving and processing calls for Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services ( EMS );
• Utilize emergency telephone system as a telecommunication device for the deaf and hearing impaired ( TDD / TTY ) to receive and respond to a variety of emergency and non-emergency services and complaints; calms, reassures, and verbally interrogates callers to interpret, analyze and anticipate the effect of situations in order to resolve problems, provide requested information, or refer callers;
• Apply professional communication techniques to calm emotional, irrational, irate, or reluctant callers; translates information to appropriate codes utilized by the agency; determine and assign level of priority and enter data to a computer aided dispatch ( CAD ) system for radio dispatch;
• Performs Emergency Medical Dispatch and crisis intervention using Emergency Medical Dispatch software and/or cards to ask vital questions and provide pre-arrival instructions for emergency medical calls;
• Monitors and operates a radio console and various radio frequencies to dispatch and coordinate public safety responses ranging from routine to critical; determines priority to dispatch calls; identifies appropriate number and type of equipment or apparatus to dispatch; queries, enters, modifies, and clears information in local, state, and national computerized databases to include Virginia Crime Information Network ( VCIN ), National Crime Information Center ( NCIC ) and the Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) pertaining to arrest warrants, driver record and history, stolen property, other similar data and transmits relevant information to field units;

Monitors and responds to a variety of other technical systems and functions to include GPS equipped bait car, financial institution electronic pursuit tracking system; fire station alerting system, radio interoperability channels, and local/regional/national alerting and disaster notification systems; performs any other duties as assigned.

Performance Standard:
Demonstrate proficient knowledge of operations of telephony and computer-aided dispatch systems, and thorough knowledge and understanding of operating procedures, operational orders, directives, policies, and procedures along with their application; maintain required certifications.

Required Qualifications
Vocational/Educational Requirement:
Requires a high school diploma, GED , or specialized vocational training in telecommunications.

Experience:
None required.

Special Certifications and Licenses:
Special skills or equipment certification may be required. Must be a United States citizen or a lawful resident for the past 10 consecutive years.

Special Requirements:
Employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or City-wide emergencies. Emergency operations support work and work locations may be outside of normal job duties.

Preferred Qualifications
-At least six (6) months of prior customer service or call center experience is preferred.
-Ability to type at least 50 WPM and 5705 KPH Data Entry