911 Dispatcher / Telecommunicator

Shelby County 911; Chelsea (AL); On-site; USD 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team as a 911 Telecommunicator, where you will play a crucial role in emergency communications. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on lives in your community. You'll receive comprehensive training to handle both emergency and non-emergency calls, ensuring that you are well-prepared to assist citizens in need. This role requires quick thinking, excellent communication skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. If you're looking for a rewarding career that makes a difference, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Qualifications

• Must be able to prioritize emergencies and make quick decisions.
• Training provided for answering emergency and non-emergency calls.

Responsibilities

• Answer 911 emergency and routine calls, dispatch appropriate units.
• Provide life-saving support and maintain accurate records.

Skills

Communication Skills

Decision Making

De-escalation Techniques

Multi-tasking

Information Gathering

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

Computer Systems

Radio Communication

Job description

The Shelby County Emergency Management Communications District (Shelby County 911) is looking for positive, professional, mature, enthusiastic, flexible, and responsible individuals to become 911 Telecommunicators.

Our Telecommunicators perform a variety of telephone and computer aided operational duties including 911 call taking and dispatching of law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services. We also assist the public with routine non-emergency and business-related calls.

For those with a focused interest in public safety, you will find this a great entry to a rewarding career in emergency communications. This is an excellent opportunity to make a difference in someone's life and the community while partnering with our men and women in the field.

911 Telecommunicators serve as calltakers and dispatchers. As a new Telecommunicator, you will receive classroom and hands-on training to answer both 911 emergency calls and routine non-emergency calls in a communications center. In one call, you will offer life-saving support to a citizen in need and in the next, handle a routine referral to a public safety agency. You will learn to answer complex emergency calls, use appropriate de-escalation techniques, and develop interviewing skills to gather necessary information for first responders in the field.

You may also have the opportunity to train as a dispatcher working directly with responding patrol units; using radios, telephones, and computer systems to provide information and support to law enforcement officers and fire fighters in the field.

To be successful, you must be fast to respond with direct and correct decisions, able to take charge of conversations, able to obtain accurate information from callers, enter information into a computer system while talking, correctly prioritize emergencies, determine the appropriate units to send to calls, and maintain accurate records.

Rarely do individuals have the opportunity to be the calm in someone's storm on a daily basis. Each day your calm voice, professional demeanor and specialized training will allow you to assist individuals who may truly be having the worst day of their lives.

Make the difference in someone's life, become a 911 Telecommunicator with Shelby County 911.

Application deadline June 6, 2025.

Onsite testing and 911 visit must be complete by June 13, 2025.

Interviews conducted the week of June 16, 2025.

New hire training begins July 7, 2025.