Dispatch Centre Operator

City of Kelowna; Kelowna; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A municipal fire service is seeking a skilled individual for a 911 dispatch role. The ideal candidate must have strong computer skills and be able to manage emergency calls while multitasking in a fast-paced environment. This position involves flexible shifts of up to 10 hours each day, working both day and night shifts, and requires a typing speed of at least 40 WPM. Applicants will be expected to maintain communication with emergency responders and process calls efficiently.

Qualifications

• Experience in an Emergency Services Dispatch Centre environment (fire, police, ambulance) preferred.
• Ability to work in flexible scheduling including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Physical ability to sit for extended periods.

Responsibilities

• Understand and maintain dispatch equipment.
• Process emergency and non-emergency calls efficiently.
• Coordinate communication with first responders.
• Monitor radio channels for ongoing incidents.

Skills

Typing speed of at least 40 WPM

Good computer skills

Ability to remain calm under pressure

Good communication skills

Decision-making skills

Job description

The Kelowna Fire Communication Centre handles all 911 calls for over 58 fire departments within the regional Districts of the Central Okanagan, Okanagan Similkameen, Kootenay Boundary, East Kootenay, Vernon and Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB). Our dispatch team processes emergency and non‑emergency radio and telephone calls for over 40,000 incidents each year. This is an ideal job for an independent thinker with good computer skills who can listen and multitask while typing a minimum of 40 words per minute. You must be physically able to sit for long periods, be able to work 10‑hour day shifts and 14‑hour overnight shifts, and handle a flexible work week comprised of scheduled and relief shifts averaging 42 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• Understand, operate and maintain equipment used in the receipt, retention and retrieval of all calls.
• Complete all records, maps and pre‑plans as required.
• Process emergency and non‑emergency calls effectively and in a timely manner.
• Differentiate between fire prevention, fire suppression, support services and specialty skills within the department.
• Maintain knowledge of the geographic layout of the City of Kelowna and the Regional District.
• Understand basic fire codes, various information retention systems, and mapping and pre‑plan systems used by the Fire Department.

Applicants must be able to:

• Remain calm and gather essential information quickly and accurately during calls.
• Maintain communication with first responders on the scene to provide updates and coordinate additional resources.
• Prioritize and use good judgement to make quick decisions.
• Be familiar with radio systems and constantly monitor radio channels to track ongoing incidents.

Work Conditions

• Days of work: Flexible – 10‑hour days and 14‑hour overnights.
• Standard hours per day: 12.
• Hours of work: Flexible work week comprising scheduled shifts and relief shifts averaging 42 hours per week, averaged over 2,184 hours annually.

Internal Candidates

Internal candidates please note that in order to be considered based on your seniority, applications must be received by 4:00 pm on December 30 2025.

Testing

Testing will be required.

Pay

Pay Rate: $37.11 per hour.

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Resume

Optional Documents

• Cover Letter
• Other Document 1
• Other Document 2
• Other Document 3
• Other Document 4

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How many years experience do you have working in an Emergency Services Dispatch Centre environment (fire, police, ambulance, etc)?
  • None
  • Less than 2 years
  • 2 to 5 years
  • More than 5 years
• * This position requires a flexible schedule. Are you able to work shift work including days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays?
  • Yes
  • No
• * This position requires you to work alone at times and sit for extended periods of time. Are you physically able to perform all the duties of this position?
  • Yes
  • No
• * What is your current typing speed less any errors?
  • 0 – 44 WPM
  • 45 – 54 WPM
  • 55 – 75 WPM
  • 76+ WPM