911 Communications Dispatcher

Minimum Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• EMT certification preferred
• Experience or volunteer work involving public contact via telephone, computer use, and data entry

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience in customer service or public relations environments
• Ability to speak and understand English for effective communication with callers
• Ability to speak a foreign language is a plus
• Outgoing, positive personality and professional work ethic
• The desire and willingness to be part of a team

Examples of Work Performed

• Receive, prioritize, and handle multiple, simultaneous emergency and administrative phone calls
• Process requests for emergency and non-emergency ambulance service
• Identify the nature of the problem through appropriate and timely questioning of the caller
• Summarize critical information for public safety first responders in the computer aided dispatch system
• Access and operate computer databases and search websites as necessary
• Receive and transmit information effectively by radio and telephone
• Receive requests from law enforcement, fire/medical personnel, and other public safety agencies
• Access, enter, retrieve, and disseminate information; prioritize and effectively relay information in proper format to the requesting agency
• Contact outside public service agencies as requested and relay information as required

Work Environment

• Stressful environment with eight and twelve hour shifts during nights, weekends, and holidays
• Requires operation of multiple computer terminals, requiring doing several things at once without getting confused or forgetting important information
• Constant attention to the workstation and its communications equipment limits mobility, except for work breaks
• Confronted with individuals who are distraught, angry, and sometimes disrespectful
• Content and nature of many calls are traumatic and disturbing
• Work in a secured 9-1-1 emergency call center in a controlled, closely supervised, and highly structured work environment

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Perform oriented tasks efficiently and accurately in a fast-paced, high-stress environment
• Listen, speak, and write clearly and interact with the public, a diverse workgroup, and emergency staff without confusion
• Refer common patient care issues to supervisory authority
• Gain an understanding of the current telecommunications organizational structure, policies, procedures, programs, practices, terminology, and services
• Maintain files
• Concentrate and evaluate information when handling angry, difficult, hysterical, or uncooperative callers
• Communicate respectfully and effectively
• Participate in effective teamwork by being self-motivated, accepting of assignments, and completing assignments within agreed-upon deadlines
• Identify problems, collect, summarize, and relay information
• Demonstrate leadership qualities such as adaptability, flexibility, dependability, punctuality, and accountability through quick, effective responses to change
• Remain calm in stressful situations and assist other staff to appropriately handle stressful situations