Public Safety Communications Specialist (911 Dispatch)

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Under general supervision, receive and process requests for police, fire and emergency medical services in high stress situations; answer non-emergency and emergency 9-1-1 phone lines; dispatch and deploy public safety personnel to calls for service; operate various telecommunications equipment.  Ability to Work any assigned shift (days, evenings, nights), must be willing to work holidays, weekends and overtime, as needed for scheduling purposes.  Perform other assigned duties as required.

All qualified applicants will be notified of the testing details via e-mail and must have a current e-mail address. The computerized testing process evaluates typing, listening, reading and multitasking ability.

Applicants are not eligible to test if they have tested or failed any portion of the hiring process within the previous 6 months or if you do not meet the requirements of the new Tattoo Policy. (See tattoo policy below)

Personal history statements will be distributed following successful completion of the testing process.  The hiring process for candidates that complete all portions of the pre-employment screenings may take 1-4 months. (See details of the process below)

Essential Functions/Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES 

In order for us to continue to achieve our primary function of making McKinney a better place to live, work, and raise a family, we hold these expectations for all employees. 

• Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how team, department, and City goals are interconnected.
• Contribute to a positive work culture.
• Ability to assess his/her work performance or the work performance of the team.
• Contribute to the development of others and/or the working unit or overall organization.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team, to demonstrate team skills, and to perform a fair share of team responsibilities.
• Ability to continuously learn and develop through a mix of internal and external training opportunities, and if applicable, encourage subordinates to do the same.
  
   

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Answer multi-line, 9-11 emergency and non-emergency calls and dispatches and deploys public safety personnel to calls for service.
• Simultaneously listen to and comprehend both telephone and radio traffic often under loud and stressful conditions.
• Operate multi-channel public safety radio system.
• Assist with and record requests for police or fire and emergency medical services from the public and departmental personnel via telephone and radio utilizing a computer-aided dispatch system.
• Communicate effectively, courteously, and clearly in English, verbally and in writing; includes speaking distinctly, responding promptly, and hearing in the normal range to protect the safety of officers and the public.
• Communicates with hearing/speech-impaired citizens by operating specialized teletype device(s).
• Assign appropriate Public Safety personnel to routine and/or emergency calls for service utilizing a computer-aided dispatch system.
• Provide pre-arrival medical instructions following department prescribed protocol with NAED compliance.
• Document all activity, locations and statuses in the computer aided dispatch system for public safety personnel, quickly disseminating any additional information.
• Comprehend and apply city ordinances, policies and procedures.
• Monitors National Weather Service.
• Operate City Emergency Warning System and notify key personnel and other agencies in emergency operation situations.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all documents, radio and phone transmissions and other sensitive information handled through the communications department.
• Adheres to assigned work schedule as outlined in city and department attendance policies and procedures.
• Drives to other City locations for meetings, etc. as required.

OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Perform other duties as assigned or directed.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND BEHAVIORS

• Ability to embrace and embody the City’s core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (R.I.S.E.).
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and people to whom service is provided.
• Ability to produce desired work outcomes, including quality, quantity, and timeliness.
• Ability to plan and organize work, time, and resources, and if applicable, that of subordinates.
• Speak clearly and precisely.
• Analyze and evaluate emergency situations and carry out effective course of action following prescribed procedures.
• Work well under pressure.
• Exercise good judgment and make sound decisions in emergency situations.
• Operate computer terminals for specialized access with various automated data banks.
• Work in a confined area for 8+ hours and remain seated for long periods of time entering data into various computer systems on a constant basis.
• Simultaneously input, retrieve, and maintain information, reading from both computer screens and printouts, and operating multiple keyboards.
• Concentrate on assigned tasks through many distractions.
• Operate wide range of equipment, e.g. door monitors and locks, printers, voice recorder, intercoms, alarm panel, weather monitoring devices, television monitors, etc.
• Ability to consistently arrive at work on time.
• Ability to work holidays, weekends and nights as needed.
• Ability to be called in to work on short notice whenever emergent situations or weather require.
• Ability to work in a team environment; contribute as a team member and treat co-workers, subordinates and customers with respect.
• Build professional relationships with internal staff and customers.
• Offer flexibility and adaptability, especially during times of stress and change.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Required Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A high school diploma or GED, plus some experience in a high public contact/customer service area that required decision making and problem solving under stressful conditions. Prior experience in a multi-task environment involving data entry, phones, customer service, and/or radio communications.   

Lateral transfer opportunities for those with two (2) years of experience in any combination of Police, Fire, EMS, Military or other high-volume applicable dispatch environment.

Qualified applicants will be required to pass a Communications compatibility and skills testing modules which evaluate data entry/keyboarding speed (minimum 30wpm), multi-tasking, memory recall, map reading, numerical prioritization, reading comprehension, spelling, and sentence clarity.

Any work related experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the above Minimum Qualifications is an acceptable substitute for the above specified education and experience requirements.