911 Communications Dispatcher (OCOMM)

Pafford EMS is accepting applications for entry-level Call Takers/Dispatchers for our Central Oklahoma Communications Center. This center will service Canadian and Oklahoma Counties, processing 911 and non-emergency requests for Emergency Medical Services. The center provides dispatch and support services to the Pafford EMS ground fleet 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

Requirements

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

Qualifications

• Work experience in a customer service or public relations environment
• Ability to speak and understand English for effective communication with callers
• Ability to speak a foreign language is a bonus
• Outgoing, positive personality and professional work ethic
• Desire and willingness to be part of a team

Candidates who receive contingent employment offers will be required to pass a criminal background check and drug screening test prior to the start of training.

Responsibilities

• Receive, prioritize, and handle multiple simultaneous emergency and administrative phone calls for assistance (e.g., car accidents, medical emergencies, hospital transfers)
• Process requests for emergency and non-emergency ambulance service, referring to detailed reference materials and standard operating procedures (e.g., databases, maps, telephone listings)
• Identify the nature of the problem through timely questioning of the caller
• Summarize critical information for public safety first responders in the computer-aided dispatch system using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Refer and classify calls for assistance according to the required level of response, as outlined in policy and procedure guidelines
• 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 via radio, phone, electronic format, or fax; prioritize and relay information in the proper format
• Contact outside public service agencies and relay information as required

Work Environment

• Function in a high-stress environment with eight- and twelve-hour shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays
• Make quick decisions with little margin for error; consequences are often immediate
• Operate multiple computer terminals simultaneously without confusion
• Limited mobility due to constant attention to workstation and communications equipment
• Frequent contact with individuals who are distraught, angry, or disrespectful
• Exposure to traumatic and disturbing content through many calls
• Work in a secured 9-1-1 emergency call center in a controlled, closely supervised, and highly structured environment

Skills

• Perform oriented tasks efficiently and accurately in a fast-paced, high-stress environment
• Listen, speak, and write articulately and clearly; interact with the public, a diverse workgroup, and emergency staff without confusion
• Refer common patient care issues to supervisory authority
• Understand 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
• Effectively listen using communication equipment
• Communicate respectfully and effectively
• Participate in effective teamwork by being self-motivated, accepting assignments, and completing them within agreed-upon deadlines
• Identify problems and collect, summarize, and relay information
• Summarize key individual characteristics and enter information into the database with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• 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 in handling them appropriately