2027 Principal Fire Alarm Operator - Somerville

Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of Massachusetts is administering the Principal Fire Alarm Operator examination for the Somerville Fire Department to create an eligible list for vacancies.

Eligibility requires staying in the Somerville Fire Department with permanent civil service status, and one year of service since appointment; applicants must pass the written exam.

Qualifications

• Must be a Somerville Fire Department employee with permanent civil service status.
• One year of service in the force since appointment.
• A combination of temporary and permanent service may count toward the one-year requirement.

Responsibilities

• Utilize the CAD system to enter calls, update incident history, and track unit status.
• Monitor, report, and repair fire alarm equipment as needed.
• Receive, screen, and prioritize 911 and non-emergency calls for dispatch.
• Coordinate with other agencies and maintain radio communications during incidents.

Job description

2027 Somerville Principal Fire Alarm Operator

If you currently have a Civil Service Online Account DO NOT create a new account to apply for this exam.

Utilize the Government Jobs Help & Support to access your account. Online Employment Application Guide | Massachusetts Civil Service Applications Email [e-mail]. This examination is being administered by the Human Resources Division (HRD) to create an eligible list from which to fill Principal Fire Alarm Operator vacancies in the Somerville Fire Department. Candidates must take and pass this examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.

Written Examination Date

February 5, 2027

Application Period Begins

December 8, 2026

Application Deadline

January 5,2027

Examination Processing Fee

$150

Written Examination Locations

Various sites across the Commonwealth

Examination Eligibility

To be eligible for this examination you must: (1) be an employee in the Somerville Fire Department with permanent civil service status in the specified eligible title(s) by the date of the examination; and (2) have served in the force at least one year since you were appointed and performed the job duties of the eligible title(s)*. A combination of temporary and permanent service from a certification can be applied towards meeting this one-year requirement. Time spent working in the title of Principal Fire Alarm Operator will not interrupt the service period in your permanent position.

Note: Pursuant to the provisions of Massachusetts General Law (MGL) 31

• 59, if less than two applications are received from eligible candidates, this examination will be postponed. If the examination’s eligible title has been lowered to the entry level rank, the examination will go forward with less than two eligible candidates submitting applications.

Eligible List: Individuals placed on the resulting eligible list shall be eligible for certification from such list for such period as the administrator shall determine, but in any event not to exceed two years, unless otherwise outlined in MGL Chapter 31

• 25 or the Human Resources Division's (HRD) revocation policy.

Examination Weights

The examination weights are 44% Technical Knowledge, 36% Situational Judgment Test, and 20% Experience/Certification/Training & Education (ECT&E).

Departments – Eligible Title(s)

Somerville– Senior Fire Alarm Operator

Current Military Personnel

Any current military personnel requesting a makeup opportunity, visit Civil Service Military Makeup Examinations for more information.

Makeup Examination

With the exception of current military personnel as described in the link, no candidate has a right to a makeup examination due to personal or professional conflicts on the testing date. Candidates are advised to consider this before applying for the examination. If you file an examination application by the application deadline but are unable to appear for the examination on the examination date due to an emergency or unanticipated hardship, you may request a makeup examination by filing a written request with verifiable documentation to HRD no later than seven calendar days from the original written examination date. HRD reserves the right to approve or deny your request. HRD may require an additional examination processing fee upon approval of your request.

Reasonable Accommodations

If you need reasonable accommodations due to a documented impairment, or medical condition, you must fill out the Testing Accommodations Request Form and submit supporting documentation as outlined on the form from a qualified professional detailing what type of accommodation you require at the exam site. The form and supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application or emailed to [e-mail] no later than four weeks prior to the exam date. Without such a letter, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to grant your accommodation. This information is requested only to provide reasonable accommodations for exams and will not be used for any other purposes. For information regarding reasonable accommodations and the required form please see: Reasonable Accommodations for Civil Service Examinations.

Examples Of Essential Duties

Utilize the Computer-Aided Dispatch System (CAD) to enter calls, process requests, enter all response information, properly entering incident history text, continuously updating CAD to ensure accuracy and availability, and maintain record of on duty personnel and apparatus status; Monitor, report, and repair Fire Alarm equipment as needed; Receive, screen, and prioritize emergency 911 calls, non-emergency calls, and calls for service requiring emergency medical services or fire department attention, under the general supervision of the Superintendent of Fire alarm; Dispatch and coordinate personnel on active incidents; Process requests for public safety services efficiently, courteously, and professionally; Give instructions, information, and directions to the service requester and then relay the information to telecommunications personnel or other entities; Manage and update records with details of calls, dispatches, and messages in a timely manner; Monitor and manage multiple phone lines including Emergency/911, Non-Emergency/Business, Police Direct, etc. and process appropriate response; Acquire and share information using multiple sources; Analyze, classify, and summarize data for dispatch or referral using operational principles, practices, and procedures; Relay information via radio to firefighters during emergency situations (i.e., fires, HAZMAT, rescue operations, etc.), and facilitate incident related radio traffic by monitoring, relaying, clarifying, and interpreting the radio traffic; Coordinate operations with other agencies (i.e. utility companies, Medflight, town inspectors, etc.); Supervise the Operating Force in the receipt of alarm information, allocation and dispatch of resources, and monitoring of radio communications and fire traffic; Assign fire alarm operators to various duties as required and ensure all personnel under his/her supervision are properly trained; Oversee that all dispatching is performed in accordance with the Basic Dispatch Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures and assign the initial responses to any incident that is outside of the aforementioned procedures; Evaluate major service requests and institute an emergency action plan during critical situations that goes beyond the normal scope of operations in accordance with agency policies, protocols, guidelines, and procedures; and other related duties as needed.

Examination Subjects

Knowledge of the town and each station's response district; Knowledge of fire-related terminology; Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies; Knowledge of departmental organization and function; Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources; Knowledge of administrative and office procedures; Knowledge of current and emerging technologies; and the knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Situational Judgement Test (SJT)

The examination is designed to evaluate your judgment and decision-making, accountability, adaptability, leadership capabilities—including managing activities, building teams, and developing others—as well as your interpersonal skills, including conflict management.

Reading List

Available at Reading Lists

Experience/Certification/Training & Education (ECT&E)

All candidates must complete the 2027 Principal Fire Alarm Operator Examination ECT&E Claim by submitting the required application online. This is a separate application from the examination application and must be completed through the online ECT&E claim process. Submissions made by any other method will result in a failing score for the ECT&E examination component.

Instructions and a link to the online ECT&E Claim application will be emailed to candidates approximately three before the written examination date. A confirmation email will be sent after a successful submission.

Candidates who do not submit their ECT&E Claim application, or who fail to upload all required supporting documentation by the application deadline, will receive an \"INCOMPLETE\" score. Late submissions will not be accepted, and candidates will not be permitted to submit or modify their ECT&E Claim application after the deadline.

Statutory Preference Points

Veterans and disabled veterans will be awarded two points to their passing, overall (general average) examination score. To claim veterans’ preference, claim veteran status in the application and attach your DD214 to the application or email it to [e-mail]. For more information on veteran status refer to the Military Information section on our website.

Updating Information

Candidates are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information. Failure to keep your records current may jeopardize opportunities for employment. For information on how to update your information, visit the Update Your Account.

During the HRD review process or during the life of the applicable eligible list(s), candidates must make original supporting documentation available should the issue of authenticity arise with any submitted document copies.

Refunds

There will be no refunds of the examination processing fee unless the examination is cancelled by HRD.

Private School or Service

HRD does not recommend or endorse any private school, service, or publisher offering preparation and/or publications for examinations and is not responsible for their advertising claims.

For more information about this and other civil service examinations, visit http://www.mass.gov/civilservice or email the Civil Service Unit at [e-mail]

Inquiries may also be made to HRD, Monday through Friday, 8:45am - 5:00pm, at the following numbers:

Boston area: [phone]

Within Massachusetts: 1-800-392-6178

TTY Number: [phone]

There is no Benefit Code