Emergency Communications Dispatcher

Oregon Health & Science University; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Paid time off

Sick leave

Retirement plans

Tuition reimbursement

Commuter subsidies

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Oregon Health & Science University in Portland is hiring Emergency Communications Dispatchers to prioritize and dispatch emergency and non-emergency calls using CAD, radios, CCTV, and alarms. The role supports PSAPs and police, fire, and EMS partners.

The position requires high school diploma, 1 year of customer service, a typing test, and the ability to work 24/7 shifts with successful background and medical evaluations. Training includes DPSST certification within 18 months.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1 year of customer service experience.
• 1 year of computer data entry and retrieval or comparable experience.
• Must pass law enforcement background check, medical, and psychological evaluations.
• Must complete DPSST Basic Telecommunications Academy and obtain Basic Telecommunicator Certification within 18 months.

Responsibilities

• Receive and triage emergency and non-emergency calls and determine appropriate actions.
• Maintain status of field units and assign requests using CAD and radio systems.
• Communicate effectively with diverse individuals and maintain accurate logs of events.
• Provide excellent customer service to callers, users, coworkers, PSAPs, and public safety partners.

Skills

Customer service

Critical thinking

Communication skills

Geography knowledge

Stress management

Phone handling

Multiline call handling

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Associate degree

Tools

CAD software

Radio communication equipment

Job description

Department Overview

OHSU is proud to be designated a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Just 9 percent of U.S. healthcare organizations hold this designation. We pride ourselves in not only serving our community with the highest of accolades but also pushing a multifaceted mission that strives for excellence within the OHSU Culture.

We offer a variety of benefits on top of joining a thriving organization:

OHSU is hiring!

• Medical, dental and vision coverage at low or no cost to employees
• Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents
• Several retirement plans to choose from! – Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan and University Pension Plan, voluntary savings plans (403b, 401a and 457b)
• Up to 200 hours (equal to 25 full days) a year of paid time off
• 96 hours of sick leave a year (prorated by FTE status)
• Commuter subsidies
• Tuition reimbursement
• Access to group life insurance, disability insurance and other supplemental benefits
• Annual Raises
• Employee discounts to local and major businesses
• Childcare service discounts
• Growth/Development Opportunities

• Must submit proof of 45 WPM with 95% accuracy as an additional document when applying*
• Only typing tests with official certificates will be accepted. Your name must be visible on the certificate. Typing tests administered in person are desired, but online tests will be accepted, so long as an official certificate is provided. If an online test is chosen, candidates will need to attest to taking the test as themself (i.e., someone else cannot take this test for you).

Emergency Communications Dispatchers perform critical dispatch functions in the field of Emergency Communications. Incumbents operate sophisticated communications equipment including multi-channel radios, multi-line telephone systems, computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV), and alarm systems to prioritize and process emergency and non-emergency calls for service and dispatch law enforcement and Facilities responders. Emergency Communications Dispatchers work directly with Primary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs/9-1-1 Centers) to coordinate complex and high-risk incidents, as well as requests for officer back-up, and to dispatch fire and/or emergency medical services. Essential duties include answering emergency and non-emergency requests for service, determining the nature and location of the service required, taking necessary action to ensure the appropriate service is provided, and to dispatch law enforcement field units and keep their status. Work is often performed under stressful demands for speed and accuracy, and employees are required to perform with minimal supervision.

Emergency Communications Dispatchers are often the first point of contact for the emergency services system as a whole and, therefore, possess acute customer service, conversational, and de‑escalation skills, as well as a keen awareness of the diverse cultures and identities of the people that work, study, seek care, and visit OHSU and its campuses. Incumbents are required to maintain their skills and effectively perform all of the duties for which they are certified. Quality of work is reviewed through the evaluation of service provided to the public, users, and partner agencies (e.g., typed and audio recorded) and through direct observation on-the-job.

Emergency Communications Dispatchers are vital to the emergency services ecosystem and must staff the communications center all hours and all days, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

• Applicants will take a dispatch aptitude test called ‘Criticall 911’ if selected to interview, additional details to come*

Function/Duties of Position

• Receive and rapidly triage and prioritize emergency and non-emergency telephone and radio calls for law enforcement and Facilities in a dynamic environment to determine appropriate action(s) to be taken.
• Maintain and monitor status of law enforcement field units and assign requests for emergency and non-emergency services to the appropriate unit(s) utilizing a computer-aided dispatch terminal and radio system.
• Effectively communicate with a variety of people with various educational, ethnic, sociocultural backgrounds, and identities.
• Maintain and thoroughly document accurate records of all events, written logs, and actions taken.
• Effectively communicate with and maintain positive customer service with callers, users, co-workers, PSAPs, and other Police, Fire and EMS partners.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Multi-line call center or telephone experience
• 1-year of customer service experience
• 1-year of computer data entry and retrieval of information or comparable experience
• Critical thinking skills
• Operate a multi-line phone
• Ability to learn the geography of the OHSU campus and surrounding areas.
• Ability to effectively use oral and written communication in performance of duties and responsibilities.
• Must pass a law enforcement background investigation.
• Must pass a Medical Examination.
• Must pass a Psychological Evaluation.
• Must attend the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Basic Telecommunications Academy and obtain Basic Telecommunicator Certification within 18 months after hire; must complete annual certification maintenance requirements to maintain position.
• Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) certified within first 6 months of hire
• Compliance with Code of Conduct, Respect in the workplace and Applicable policies, procedures and agreements related to position, department or OHSU as a whole
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or College Degree
• Minimum of 1-2 years: dispatch or heavy customer service experience
• Radio communications experience
• 9-1-1 Emergency Communications experience
• Prior experience working with a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) application
• Alarm monitoring
• Ability to receive and prioritize both emergency and non-emergency calls for service.
• Ability to multi-task and perform many simultaneous functions while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Current DPSST Basic (or Intermediate or Advanced) Telecommunicator Certification
• Current Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) Certification

Additional Details

• Emergency Communications Centers can be noisy at times due to phones, radio transmissions, and alarm monitoring.
• Must have the ability to work shifts that span a 24-hour period (i.e., day, swing, and graveyard shifts), including weekends and holidays; must be able to work unscheduled and/or mandatory overtime, as required.
• Emergency Communications Dispatcher positions are designated as Critical Function Personnel. Critical Function Personnel are expected to report to work during extreme inclement weather and during other events impacting OHSU and its campuses.
• Sitting at a desk or console for extended periods of time; occasionally walk, stand, or stoop; occasionally lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects weighing up to 30 pounds.
• Utilizing tools or equipment requiring a high degree of dexterity; work for sustained periods of time maintaining concentrated attention to detail; take information from callers who may be excited, abusive, use profanity, are incoherent, drunk or hysterical, or may be experiencing a medical emergency or mental health crisis; must meet all physical standards as set forth by the State of Oregon to include visual acuity, hearing, speaking and basic physical health that provides the stamina to perform the duties of an Emergency Communications Dispatcher for long periods of time.
• Accommodations may be made for some of these physical demands for otherwise qualified individuals who require and request such accommodation.

Pay Range:

$38.08 - $52.28 per hour

• Emergency Communications Centers can be noisy at times due to phones, radio transmissions, and alarm monitoring.
• Must have the ability to work shifts that span a 24-hour period (i.e., day, swing, and graveyard shifts), including weekends and holidays; must be able to work unscheduled and/or mandatory overtime, as required.
• Emergency Communications Dispatcher positions are designated as Critical Function Personnel. Critical Function Personnel are expected to report to work during extreme inclement weather and during other events impacting OHSU and its campuses.
• Sitting at a desk or console for extended periods of time; occasionally walk, stand, or stoop; occasionally lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects weighing up to 30 pounds.
• Utilizing tools or equipment requiring a high degree of dexterity; work for sustained periods of time maintaining concentrated attention to detail; take information from callers who may be excited, abusive, use profanity, are incoherent, drunk or hysterical, or may be experiencing a medical emergency or mental health crisis; must meet all physical standards as set forth by the State of Oregon to include visual acuity, hearing, speaking and basic physical health that provides the stamina to perform the duties of an Emergency Communications Dispatcher for long periods of time.
• Accommodations may be made for some of these physical demands for otherwise qualified individuals who require and request such accommodation.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

All are welcome.

OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply.

To request reasonable accommodation, contact [e-mail]