Emergency Communications Specialist

General Purpose

The Gunnison/Hinsdale Combined Emergency Telephone Service Authority is seeking a dedicated and service-oriented Emergency Communications Specialist to join the team that serves as the critical link between the public and emergency responders. This rewarding position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day by answering emergency and non-emergency calls, coordinating police, fire, and EMS responses, and providing calm, professional assistance during some of the community’s most challenging moments.

Examples of Duties and Qualifications

• Receive and prioritize emergency and non-emergency calls and digital requests for help from the public requesting police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services; gather, analyze, and report critical information during life- or-death situations such as crimes in progress, medical emergencies, and fire/rescue incidents.
• Administer care by providing pre-arrival medical instruction or directing callers through procedures such as CPR, childbirth, or controlling of blood loss while emergency medical services are enroute.
• Operate a variety of public safety communications equipment including 911 emergency telephone equipment, radio communication systems, text-to-911 equipment, advanced location systems, computer aided dispatch systems, instant recall recorder and paging and intercom systems.
• Cookordination and relay information and assistance requests involving law enforcement, EMS, and fire-fighting agencies; coordinate and assign resources as necessary in emergency and non-emergency situations; maintain contact with all units monitoring status and location of police, fire and emergency medical service units.
• Enter service requests into computer-aided dispatch system via keyboards to provide needed data to other dispatchers and responding units/agencies.
• Provide assistance, information, and directions to non-emergency callers; refer and/or transfer calls to outside agencies as appropriate.
• Effectively communicate, orally and in writing, with members of the public as well as internal team members. Teamwork is a vital component of success in this job.
• Take protective actions for first responders by providing life-safety information during responses.
• Read/interpret maps for the public, field personnel, and other agencies in order to assist in locating certain geographical areas; interpret telephone call locations from maps by applying knowledge of local geography in order to provide appropriate and timely assistance.
• Perform various computer checks, input and retrieval of information to assist Emergency Communications Center (ECC) personnel, field responders and others.
• Enter records of activity into the computer; maintain a variety of logs relating to public safety telecommunications activities; compile statistics on calls received.
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level or as assigned by supervisory staff.

Job Qualifications

• Required Education and Experience: Graduation from high school or general equivalency development (G.E.D.) and the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain Emergency Medical Dispatch certification.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, Colorado Crime Information Center Computer Operator certification.

Other Necessary Requirements

• The minimum certifications needed to perform the job. May also include preferences.

Working Conditions

• Work Environment: The job is performed in the following working environment: Work is performed in an emergency communications center. The work level can fluctuate from minimal to fast-paced and high volume. The employee deals with crisis situations that require them to quickly make major decisions involving people, resources, and property with frequently limited direction.
• Physical Activities: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The job is characterized by: Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves staying at a console position most of the time, either sitting or standing. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met. The following physical activities are very or extremely important in accomplishing the job’s purpose and/or performed daily: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit or stand for prolonged periods. The employee is regularly required to see, hear, talk, stand, twist and use repetitive motions in the conduct of work. The employee is also required to perform light lifting. The employee is required to stay calm during stressful situations.

Benefits

• 75% paid by the City toward medical, dental and vision premiums paid for the employee and their dependents,
• 100% paid preventative medical costs,
• $25,000 life insurance paid by the City, with options for increased supplemental coverage,
• 5% of gross wages in a retirement plan,
• 3 weeks of vacation accrual per year (increasing based on the years of service),
• 13 paid holidays,
• 12 days of sick leave per year,
• Free membership to the City of Gunnison Community Center,
• Optional supplemental insurance including disability, whole life, term life, cancer, accident, and critical illness,
• Differential pay for employees working on holidays or while on standby,
• Transitional, temporary housing may be available (not available as of 01/27/26 but can be discussed on an as-needed basis).