911 Specialist

CHARLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT; La Plata (MD); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

CHARLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT is seeking entry-level Public Safety Dispatchers for the 9-1-1 Center. You will receive emergency and non-emergency calls, prioritize incidents, and relay critical information to police, fire, and EMS agencies using CAD and other systems.

Responsibilities include providing pre-arrival instructions, handling non-English calls with interpreters, and maintaining calm, accurate communication under pressure. Rotating shifts and on-call duties are required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Must be able to type a minimum of 30 wpm.
• Experience in public safety communications is preferred but entry level.
• Familiarity with CAD/dispatch protocols is expected.

Responsibilities

• Receive and prioritize 9-1-1 and other emergency calls.
• Enter data into the CAD system and relay information to agencies.
• Provide pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions as needed.
• Work rotating shifts including nights, holidays, and weekends.

Skills

Public safety dispatch

Typing 30 wpm

Multi-tasking

Calm under pressure

listening & communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CAD system

Emergency dispatch protocols

Job description

This is entry level work involving public safety communications in a 365/24/7 9-1-1 communications center, providing critical information from the general public in crisis to public safety responders via Dispatchers. Duties involve receiving, screening, prioritizing and relaying information over various communications systems, including telephone and digital formats via CAD. Duties include customer service, caller management, relaying life-saving instructions, post-dispatch instructions and pre-arrival instructions. Personnel are expected to exhibit highly skilled listening ability in order to quickly and accurately ascertain from emotional, distraught individuals the nature of assistance required and demonstrate the ability to type/enter the information accurately and quickly into the CAD system. This is considered an essential part of public safety and assigned rotating shifts. Work is performed under the direct supervision of a Public Safety Communication Supervisor.

• Receives requests for assistance by utilizing computerized 9-1-1 telephone system, evaluates type of assistance needed.
• Receives 9-1-1 and other emergency requests for service. Simultaneously determines the nature and location of the emergency; determines priority and enters information into the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Answers non-emergency calls for service, determines type of assistance required, and provides appropriate assistance as needed. Processes emergency and non-emergency requests for State, County and regional Law enforcement, Fire and EMS, and several public service organizations; relay incident specific information to appropriate agency.
• Receives emergency and non-emergency calls for service from non-English speaking customers. Use computerized 9-I-I telephone system to establish a link with appropriate interpreter to determine nature and location of the emergency; priority, type of assistance required, provide appropriate assistance as needed and dispatch correct agencies.
• Communicate with voice box devices for speaking impaired persons; communicate with Maryland Relay Service for the hearing impaired.
• Uses 9-I-I telephone system to communicate with the caller to determine nature and location of the emergency; priority, type of assistance required, provide appropriate assistance as needed and dispatch correct agencies.
• Provides Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD), and Emergency Police Dispatch; triage in-coming requests for emergency service calls to determine the level of response; provide pre-arrival instructions to the caller. Must use established Emergency Dispatch protocols to immediately provide help to the victim or other party; operate within an established quality assurance standard of service.
• Operate a variety of mission critical communications equipment /devices that use application software including CAD, computer telephone interface console, and GIS mapping system.
• Complies with procedures and regulations set by CCG, DES, Fire and EMS associations and Sheriffs police. Assist Supervisor, Assistant Supervisor, and Dispatcher II.
• Works with other divisions of the Department of Emergency Services, Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, CCG, Public Service Support Agencies and neighboring jurisdictions to facilitate the response of the closest appropriate public safety resources in order to protect life, limb, and property.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

High school diploma or an acceptable equivalency diploma (GED).

Licenses or Certifications

Required to obtain during 12-month probationary period: National and Maryland certification in the 9-1-1 call taking protocol system used by Charles County as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher, Emergency Fire Dispatcher, and Emergency Police Dispatcher; National certification as an Emergency Telecommunicator; CPR; Incident Management Systems Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200,700 and 800; HAZMAT Awareness; Confined Space Awareness; Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness; and CCG Defensive Driving Course.

Note: Some licenses and/or certifications require periodic renewal. The employee must maintain them throughout employment in this position.

Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Qualifications

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION, AND EMPLOYEES IN THIS POSITION ARE SUBJECT TO RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL SCREENING.

Must pass a job-related background examination, including a drug screening.

Assigned to work one 12-hour day or one 12-hour night shift in a 24-hour period.

Must be willing to work rotating shifts, including nights,holidays and weekends.

Must work on an on-call basis and irregular duty assignments.

Must wear a uniform and safety equipment, when needed.

Must attend educational sessions, as required.

Must be able to travel out of town for one day or more, when needed.

Must be able to type a minimum of 30 wpm.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of Charles County geography including towns, jurisdictional boundaries, response boundaries, highways, roadways, waterways and landmarks.
• Operation of various communications devices and computer equipment.
• Ability to hear multiple conversations simultaneously, distinguishing between voices and sources to obtain relevant information quickly and accurately.
• Ability to speak clearly, distinctly, concisely, and correctly over the telephone.
• Ability to type on computer keyboards a minimum of 30 wpm while reading from protocol and operate telephone
• Ability to prioritize tasks and perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast paced, high stress emergency work environment.
• Ability to make immediate decisions and react in a quick, calm, controlled and effective manner in emergency situations.
• Ability to read, understand and interpret complex maps.
• Ability to interpret and apply rules, regulations, policies and procedures utilized in public safety.
• Ability to learn to assess conditions of patients with medical emergencies and provide emergency medical pre-arrival instructions to callers following specific emergency medical dispatch protocols.
• Ability to demonstrate familiarity with and use the language / codes / jargon of various public safety agencies; have vision correctable to 20/30 and have normal color vision and hearing.
• Ability to carry out own daily assignments, follow through on matters, and use independent judgment and training to take appropriate actions to deal with standard recurring situations and extreme unpredictable circumstances.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary with frequent periods of light physical activity. Typical positions require workers to sit or stand for long periods; lift and carry up to 20 pounds; climb stairs, bend, reach, hold, grasp and turn objects; use fingers to operate computer or typewriter keyboards, and requires the ability to speak normally and to use normal or aided vision and hearing. Incumbents must demonstrate a state of physical and mental health consistent with the ability to perform assigned duties.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Ninety percent of duties are performed in the Public Safety Communications Center and Emergency Operations Center requiring sitting for long periods of time. May be required to respond to emergencies in the Mobile Command Post as part of an incident dispatch team or in a first responder role in support of an Emergency Services/Emergency Management mission/deployment. At times, may work outside in inclement weather and under undesirable and hazardous conditions. Works in conditions of varying noise levels and high activity.

Department: Communications

Pay Grade: 108

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Telework Eligible: No

Reports to: Public Safety Communications Supervisor

Supervises: None