911 Emergency Communications Technician (Call Taker)

City of Durham; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the City of Durham as a 911 Emergency Communications Technician, where you'll play a crucial role in emergency response. This entry-level position offers a chance to advance while making a significant impact in the community. You'll handle emergency calls, provide assistance, and ensure efficient communication for police, fire, and EMS services. With fixed shifts including nights and weekends, this role requires emotional awareness and excellent multi-tasking skills. Enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits as you embark on a rewarding career in public service.

Benefits

12-13 paid holidays per year

13 standard work days of vacation per year

Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans

Paid life insurance equal to annual salary

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Six months experience in a fast paced customer service environment.
• Certification in Emergency Dispatch protocols required within 6 months of hire.
• CPR Healthcare Provider Certification required within 6 months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Answer and process emergency and administrative phone calls.
• Follow scripted protocol questions and provide pre-arrival instructions.
• Route calls to appropriate divisions.

Skills

Emotional awareness

Professional response

Multi-tasking

Attention to detail

Creative problem solving

Reading comprehension

Short term memory

Education

High School/GED

Job description

911 Emergency Communications Technician (Call Taker)

911 Emergency Communications Technician (Call Taker)

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Position Description

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Why work at the Durham Emergency Communications Center? Click this link to find out more!

Hiring Range: $22.16 - $34.44 Hourly ($1.50 shift premium during the hours of 4:00 PM and 8:00 AM)

(Please note that salary range higher than the minimum will be based on prior 911 experience).

Work Day/Hours: Hours during classroom training will be from 8:00 - 5:00. Once classroom training is completed, team members will be assigned to 4 day work weeks with 12-hour shifts; shift will be EITHER 5:00 am to 5:00 pm OR 5:00 pm to 5:00 am. This coverage utilizes fixed shifts including nights, weekends and holidays. Shifts are determined by the needs of the agency.

This posting is to find candidates for our next training academy starting JULY 14th 2025

Please note that our next academy has 12 spaces available. Submitting an application cannot guarantee a spot in the upcoming academy as spaces are limited and subject to availability.

The Durham Emergency Communications Center works to provide City and County residents the fastest, most-efficient emergency call response possible while ensuring the safety of our police, fire and emergency medical services responders. Our state-of-the art center was the first, and currently one of only three, in the nation to hold both emergency medical dispatch accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies and Project 33 agency training program certification from APCO International. We're constantly finding ways to improve the quality of assistance we provide to the community, knowing service is our one and only product. If innovating and serving in a fast-paced environment are for you, bring your talent and skills to Durham!

Are you looking for meaningful career in a fast paced, high energy environment? When you work as a 911 call taker, you'll be able to save lives without ever leaving your chair. Our dispatch center features state-of-the-art technology enabling you to be the difference between life and death when people call for help. Promotional opportunities including dispatch of Police, Fire and EMS are currently available.

If this sounds like an environment where you would thrive we would love for you to join our team!

• This is an entry level position into the Durham Emergency Communications Center. This position is expected to progress and be promoted to communications dispatch position.
• Work Days/Hours: Hours will vary. Call Takers are scheduled for 24 hour coverage. This coverage utilizes fixed shifts including nights, weekends and holidays. Shifts are determined by the needs of the agency.
  
  

The purpose of this position is to provide assistance to callers reporting emergencies and/or requesting help in situations requiring Police, Fire or EMS. This is accomplished by answering incoming calls and serving as the first point of contact for residents, visitors and businesses.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Answer and process emergency and administrative phone calls.
• Follows scripted protocol questions, enters appropriate information for emergency responders and provides pre-arrival instructions. (Will connect with bilingual interpreter if necessary.)
• Simultaneously read scripted protocol questions while clearly and concisely typing the information received.
• Routes calls by categorizing incoming calls and directing them to the appropriate division.
• Creates service requests by analyzing incoming calls; creates requests; forwards requests; and follows up with other city departments on open requests.
  
  

Skills

• Emotional awareness to quickly and accurately transition between calls with imminent threat to life and/or property to calls of a more routine nature.
• The ability to professionally respond to caller needs, rather than actions, demonstrating proficiency in caller control when interacting with difficult callers.
• Proficiency in multi-tasking;
• Exceptional attention to detail;
• Creative problem solving;
• Excellent reading comprehension;
• Strong short term memory.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• High School/GED.
• Six months experience in a fast paced customer service environment.
• Certification in International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Police, Fire and EMS call taking protocols is required within 6 months of hire.*
• CPR Healthcare Provider Certification within 6 months of hire.*
• Pass Psychological Exam prior to hire.
• Requires learning one dispatch discipline (Fire/EMS or Police) within 18 months of employment
• This position is critical to emergency operations and will report to work in spite of or because of an emergency or disaster event.
• No Class B (or higher) misdemeanor conviction in the last ten (10) years (please see a list of Class B Convictions Here)
• No Felony Conviction
• Please note that for any selected candidate in an operational position they must meet requirements designated by NCOEMS, by following this link you can view an FAQ outlining those employment requirements https://info.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/EMS/faqcomp.htm#legalrec
• NOTE: Employee will be trained in International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Police, Fire and EMS call taking protocols and CPR Healthcare Provider. Certifications are paid for by the department and provided during assigned work hours.
  
  

Additional Preferred Skills

• Call Center experience.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).
  
  

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans
  
  

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan
  
  

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service
  
  

01

Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

• City of Durham Website
• Walk in
• Job fair
• Employee referral
• Professional organization ***Please list the organization in "other" box below***
• Internet posting ***Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below***
• Craig's List
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• GlassDoor
• governmentjobs.com
• Monster.com
• Indeed.com
• Employment Security Commission
• Magazine/Newspaper
• Other
  
  

02

If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.

03

Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

• Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED)
• High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED)
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• PhD or Juris Doctorate
  
  

04

How many years of experience do you have in a fast paced customer service environment?

• No related experience
• Less than 6 months of related experience
• 6 months but less than 1 year of related experience
• 1 year but less than 3 years of related experience
• 3 years but less than 5 years of related experience
• 5 or more years of related experience
  
  

05

Briefly explain how your experience is related to this position. If you have no related experience, indicate N/A.

06

Do you have call center experience?

• Yes
• No
  
  

07

What is the average number of telephone calls you have received in one business day?

• 0-19 calls
• 20-39 calls
• 60-79 calls
• 80-99 calls
• 100-119 calls
• More than 120 calls
  
  

08

Certification in International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Police, Fire and EMS call taking protocols is required and is to be completed within 6 months of hire. Are you willing and able to obtain this certification within 6 months of your start date?

• Yes, I am willing and able to obtain this certification within 6 months of my start date
• No I am unwilling or unable to obtain this certification within 6 months of my start date
• I already have the required certifications.
  
  

09

Are you willing and able to learn one dispatch discipline (Fire/EMS or Police) within 18 months of employment?

• Yes
• No
  
  

10

CPR Healthcare Provider Certification is required for this position and is to be completed within 6 months of hire. Are you willing and able to obtain this certification within 6 months of my start date?

• Yes, I am willing and able to obtain this certification within 6 months of my start date
• No, I am unwilling or unable to obtain this certification within 6 months of my start date
• I already have the required certification.
  
  

11

How would you rate your experience level with MS Office applications? (such as Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)

• No experience
• Beginner level
• Intermediate level
• Advanced level
• Expert level
  
  

12

Are you familiar with any type of call center software? If yes, state what software you have worked with. If no, indicate N/A.

13

Passing a Psychological Exam is required prior to being hired in this position. (this exam is paid for and coordinated by the department) Are you willing and able to complete a Psychological exam prior to hire?

• Yes
• No
  
  

14

Are you bilingual English/Spanish (speak, read, and write)?

• Yes
• No
  
  

15

This position is critical to emergency operations and will report to work in spite of, or because of, an emergency or disaster event. Are you willing and able to work in spite of, or because of, an emergency or disaster event?

• Yes
• No
  
  

16

Have you taken a 9-11 Telecommunicator training course?

• Yes
• No
  
  

17

If you have taken a 9-11 Telecommunicator training course... at what school did you take it?

18

Please briefly describe how have you used technology in your current position? If you do NOT use any technology in your current position, put N/A

• Required Question

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Information Technology

• Industries

  Government Administration

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