What are the responsibilities and job description for the 911 Dispatcher position at The City of Elkhart?
CITY OF ELKHART – JOB DESCRIPTION
DEPARTMENT
Communication Center
POSITION
Dispatcher
DIVISION
STATUS
Full-time
CATEGORY
Hourly, IN-FOP
PG-2 to PG-4 ($24.42-$25.81)FLSA
Non-exempt
REPORTS TO
Communications Department Head
DATE
JOB SUMMARY
Receives in-coming emergency and non-emergency calls for assistance, dispatches appropriate emergency response units, coordinates communications with and for police, fire, emergency management agency, and other public safety agencies.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Takes complaints and emergency phone calls on business and 911 lines, providing information or emergency assistance as needed.
- Dispatches appropriate police, fire, or medical units per SOP and coordinates necessary initial response to emergency and non-emergency situations.
- Provides pre-arrival emergency medical instruction according to nationally certified program of emergency medical dispatch.
- Is responsible continuously monitoring multiple public safety radio frequencies, and maintains control of specific assigned radio frequencies.
- Is responsible to maintain radio contact with and respond to needs of police, fire, and medical personnel on duty, as well as area public safety agencies, and other City departments.
- Keeps appropriate logs and written records as per SOP.
- Enters, queries, and extracts data in various communications and computer systems such as CAD, IDACS, Nlets, and NCIC, records management systems, hazardous materials programs, and weather satellite program, utilizing precise formats, and disseminates such data to authorized personnel and agencies as required.
- Receives and disseminates severe weather information in coordination with the National Weather Service.
- Receives and relays Emergency Management Agency information.
- Coordinates responses of police, fire, medical, Emergency Management Agency, and other city department personnel in times of emergency, disasters, and critical incidents.
- Maintains a neat and orderly work environment in accordance with Departmental policies.
- Promotes and upholds a teamwork concept in accordance with Departmental policies.
- Must attend Departmental meetings as called by supervisory staff.
- Must participate in, and encourage co-workers to participate in, on-going training and continuing education, both in personal goals and at the discretion of supervisory staff.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Incumbent works under general instruction from supervisors. Extensive guidelines are provided in manuals and directives.
- Incumbent must be continuously alert and monitoring on duty personnel, equipment, radio frequencies, computer terminals and programs and phone lines.
- Incumbent must deal effectively and compassionately with the general public and people in various emotional states.
- Incumbent must have the ability to demonstrate professional demeanor at all times on radio and phones
- Incumbent must stay calm and composed, and make sound judgments and decisions regarding appropriate responses in routine and critical situations.
- Incumbent must maintain high degree of confidentiality and discretion regarding this and affiliated departments’ efforts and the rights and privacy of the public.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- High school graduate or GED equivalent.
- Upon employment, incumbent must receive and maintain CPR certification, IDACS certification, and national emergency medical dispatch certification.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Must be computer literate
- Basic knowledge of working with windows based programs.
- Basic knowledge of working with office machines.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent telephone etiquette.
- Map reading capability.
- Ability to work as a team.
- Required to participate in and pass all levels of probationary training.
- Basic knowledge of radio equipment operation.
- Basic knowledge of FCC regulations and laws as they relate to broadcasting and transmitter operations.
- Ability to learn and utilize police codes and signals and fire and EMS terminology.
- Ability to memorize and retain information, both long and short term, and random and sequential.
- Ability to provide emergency medical telephone instruction utilizing precise formats.
- Typing / keyboard skills. Must demonstrate ability to type 45 words per minute with 95% accuracy using standard computerized and audio tests, and must demonstrate efficient audio-motor typing and entry skills from spontaneous supply of information.
- Computer skills: Must have basic computer knowledge in Windows environment. Must demonstrate ability to compose communiqués quickly, and accurately enter data upon input for radio transmission.
- Multitasking skills: Must demonstrate ability to concentrate, maintain computer and thought process, use of short-term memory, and accurately respond to various sources of input and incidents occurring simultaneously.
- Map-reading/visual skills: Knowledge of area geography preferred. Must demonstrate ability to read maps, comprehend and relay directions, learn locations and addresses and geo-numbering systems.
- Ability to learn and utilize formats for entry and withdrawal of information from various computer systems, quickly and accurately.
- Ability to calm persons who are in a state of panic, and deal with people who are hysterical, angry, or hostile on the telephone.
- Ability to take charge, make decisions, delegate tasks, and maintain control in routine and crisis situations.
- Ability to cooperate with and to work closely as a team with two or three other dispatchers in a close environment often under stressful conditions.
- Ability to participate in and learn from critiques and constructive criticism, as a team and as an individual.
- Ability to cooperate with and to work closely as a team with several other dispatchers in a close environment often under stressful conditions.
- Ability to set and accomplish personal goals regarding learning, continuing education, and to maintain knowledge of all policies and procedures.
PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND VISUAL SKILLS
- Incumbent works, for the most part, in an office environment, sitting for extended periods of time.
- Incumbent must be able to reach and bend in order to operate and maintain equipment.
- Incumbent must be able to filter relevant statements and verbal requests from background noise, hear clearly radio and telephone voice, various pitches of tones, signals, and alarms.
- Incumbent must be able to speak clearly, precisely, and in a tone understood via radio frequencies.
- Incumbent must be able to read computer data and print-outs, and write legibly.
- Incumbent may be assigned to various hours covering all three shifts, including weekends and holidays. Overtime is required and, as needs dictate, frequently assigned.
WORKING CONDITIONS
As described in above paragraph.
POST OFFER TESTING REQUIRED
- The City of Elkhart is a Drug Free Workplace. Therefore, successfully passing a post offer drug screen is required (random drug testing may be conducted after employment).
- Background checks producing acceptable BMV and criminal history reports required.
- Position is subject to successfully passing truth verification testing.
POLICY STATEMENT
- The incumbent is required to possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities, and the physical, mental, and visual skills described in this job description to perform the principal duties, responsibilities and essential job functions.
- This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent. Principal duties and responsibilities are intended to describe those functions that are essential to the performance of this job and “other” duties and responsibilities include those that are considered incidental or secondary to the overall purpose of this job.
- This job description does not state or imply that the above are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by the Mayor. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.
Salary : $24 - $26
