Command Duty Officer - Emergency Management Communications

Milwaukee County; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 39,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Milwaukee County is seeking a Command Duty Officer (CDO) to manage EMS communications, mass casualty incident response, and system monitoring. The role includes notifying hospitals, dispatch centers, and leadership; coordinating CAD and EMS resources; and ensuring operational readiness across county assets.

The position requires EMT/Paramedic certification, a high school diploma, and at least one year of EMS radio experience.

Qualifications

• Current Wisconsin resident at time of application.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent is required.
• Current driver's license must be maintained throughout employment.
• Must pass criminal background and fingerprint check.
• One year of experience with radio communication and working as an EMT/Paramedic.
• EMT/Paramedic certification is required.
• Lift/Carry and Push/Pull up to 30lbs.
• Able to work weekends, holidays, and mandated overtime.

Responsibilities

• Relaying patient information between EMS field providers and receiving hospitals; transmit ECGs when necessary; alert field providers of hospital diversions and capabilities.
• Triaging trauma patient reports per protocol; maintain contact with responders, rescue units and hospitals.
• Coordinate communications between Paramedic Field Providers and MCW Physicians for online medical control.
• Answer Dispatcher Assisted CPR calls and enter case information.
• Maintain countywide situational awareness via CAD2CAD and FirstWatch dashboards; disseminate emergency alerts.
• Serve as HERC Hotline Representative and notify staff in emergencies.
• Notify Medical Director and OEM leadership during Mass Casualty events; coordinate ED bed polls and on-scene triage.

Skills

Radio communication

Oral communication

Written communication

Ability to work under pressure

Education

High school diploma or GED

EMT/Paramedic certification

Tools

None

Job description

Command Duty Officer (CDO) Full-Time (Formally EMS Communicator EMSCOM-Paramedic Base)

Office of Emergency Management

Hourly Pay Rate: $28.50 - $42.73

Available to work 2nd shift, holidays, weekends and mandated scheduled and unscheduled overtime is required

Closing Date: October 05, 2026, or sooner upon receipt of the first 50 application submissions

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is in the business of urban resiliency, the protection of lives and property through exacting communications to decision-makers and through the total coordination of resources, on-location and on-time. OEM strives for a 'whole community' approach, meaning collaborative stewardship in government and in private entities, thereby allowing civic society to bounce back from the shocks of our increasingly complex culture.

Job Summary:

The Command Duty Officer (CDO) formally EMS Communicator duties will include receiving and notifying hospitals of incoming patients, mass casualty incident management, EMResource; Monitor field unit devices; notify PSAPs of OEM scene responders; CAD entries; EMS transports for OEM Special Events; monitor dept dashboards/situational awareness expert; Dispatcher Assisted CPR, HERC Hotline; roll-calls; tornado siren system; overall County welfare and state of readiness; leadership notifications

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Relaying patient information between the EMS field provider and the receiving hospital, including countywide triage capabilities. Transmit ECGs to receiving hospitals when necessary. Alert field providers of hospital limited diversions and capabilities.
• Triaging all trauma patient reports per the Trauma Activation Protocol, out-of-county and private ambulance companies and alerting hospital teams. Sophisticated communication maintaining contact with emergency responders, rescue units and hospitals.
• Coordinates communications systems between Paramedic Field Providers and MCW Physicians to facilitate online medical control
• Answering and handling all Dispatcher Assisted CPR calls for cardiac arrest patients transferred from municipal PSAPS and entering case information into the database. Participate in mock call trainings.
• Maintain Countywide situational awareness by monitoring the CAD fusion platform [CAD2CAD] and data dashboard, FirstWatch. Disseminate emergency alerts via EverBridge. Make notifications to internal, external agencies, to include senior leadership.
• Serve as the Southeast Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition (HERC) Hotline Representative by answering calls receiving on the HERC line 24/7 and providing prompt notification to HERC staff in the event of an emergency and/or request.
• During a Mass Casualty or Emergency/Disaster, notify Medical Director and OEM Leadership of events. Notify area Emergency Departments of events using WITRAC and provide status updates, request and process ED bed polls, support on-scene triage/transportation officers.
• Establish and maintain relationships with County dispatch centers to include MCSO LEAD, MCTS, Highway, Airport, FMD CityWorks. Track and monitor activities to create an overall "state of welfare and readiness in Milwaukee County properties, assets and jurisdiction.
• Monitor adjacent public safety units and radio systems: WI Interoperable System for Communications, statewide public safety radio; OpenSky, a City of Milwaukee Fire/EMS/Police radio system; NOAA national weather safety radio. 100% participation in roll calls and ad-hoc calls
• Monitor the National Weather Service for tornado alerts and activate the Milwaukee County tornado sirens, when necessary, via the NexGen tornado siren system. Perform monthly tests of the system, utilize the UHF radio system, and log results.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Current Wisconsin resident at time of application
• High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent is required
• Current drivers licensed maintained throughout employment
• Must be able to pass a criminal background, including fingerprinting, and an employment verification check
• One year of experience with radio communication and working as an EMT/Paramedic
• EMT/Paramedic certification is required
• Lift/Carry and Push/Pull up to 30lbs
• Must be able work any assigned shift including weekends and holidays as required. Position is subject tomandated schedules and unscheduled overtime
• Basic knowledge of all related computer and software applications, such as word processing and spreadsheets

Preferred Experience

• Prior dispatching experience
• At least 6 months of Emergency Medical Service, Emergency Room, Fire Department, and/or Ambulance Service experience.

Note:

All appointees must successfully complete the Transaction Information Management Enforcement (TIME) system training within six (6) months of hire date AND must be Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliant within six months of hire date.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of radio communications procedure; knowledge of basic Emergency Medical terminology; knowledge of common Emergency Medical Services forms and reports; skill in receiving and transmitting calls accurately; oral and written communication skills; ability to operate a radio network; ability to enter and retrieve data from a personal computer; ability to handle emergency calls quickly and efficiently; ability to work under pressure; ability to perform mathematical computation; ability to work in a confined area for extended periods of time; ability to sit for long periods of time; ability to work effectively and harmoniously with physicians, nurses and allied health personnel. Work requires frequent, substantive contacts with people in highly stressful situations; delicacy and unpredictability of contacts routinely creates considerable strain or heavy stress regularly. Ability to push/pull/lift/carry up to 30lbs as needed.

NOTE:

This ORIGINAL APPLICATION is open to qualified residents of the State of Wisconsin at the time of application. Candidates need to submit a full account of their training and experience (i.e., by submitting an up-to-date resume or by fully completing the application) during the application process and may also be asked to take additional written or performance tests as part of the selection process.

CANDIDATES MUST POSSESS THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AT TIME OF FILING APPLICATION

NR23 (4842 OEM) K.M.