PUBLIC WARNING SPECIALIST

OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) is seeking a Public Warning Specialist to monitor incidents from NYCEM's 24/7 Watch Command and to issue Notify NYC alerts and IPAWS activations. The role supports interagency coordination and data analysis to inform citywide responses.

Responsibilities include disseminating notifications, maintaining system monitoring, QA data formatting, and preparing operational reports.

Qualifications

• Bilingual writer/speaker.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Strong technology skills with proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Report writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and disseminate notifications, alerts, and messages for Notify NYC and IPAWS.
• Provide ongoing system monitoring.
• Ensure public safety communications are properly processed.
• Ensure data is correctly formatted; perform QA assessments of data.
• Perform testing and maintenance of notification systems.
• Prepare operational reports and analysis.
• Monitor multiple information sources related to data telecommunications.
• Communicate with agencies to confirm scope and impact of data related to incidents.
• Support data analysis using multiple sources, including GIS, to develop reporting systems.
• Participate in telecommunications testing and coordinate special projects.
• Assist with Ready New York presentations to external groups.

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) helps New Yorkers before, during, and after emergencies through preparedness, education, and response. NYCEM is responsible for coordinating citywide emergency planning and response for all types and scales of emergencies. We are staffed by more than 200 dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including individuals assigned from other City agencies.

The Response Bureau is responsible for monitoring incidents throughout the City, alerting the public and City agencies, initiating NYCEM response, on-scene coordination, and special event planning and coordination. It is comprised of Watch Command, Field Response Unit, and the Response Support Unit.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Public Warning Unit operates 24 hours per day and seven days per week out of Watch Command, NYCEM’s operations center. Public Warning staff work in conjunction with the Interagency Coordination and Monitoring staff to monitor citywide radio frequencies; local, national, and international media; and social media to identify incidents impacting NYC and are responsible for the corresponding dissemination of Notify NYC alerts and notifications. The NYCEM Public Warning unit is also responsible for activation of the City’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) and Emergency Alert System.

Public Warning Specialists (PWS) work within Watch Command, NYCEM’s 24/7 Operations Center. PWS’s are responsible for the monitoring incidents throughout the City, issuing Notify NYC messages as needed, and activating FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) during major emergencies.

Reporting to the Director of Public Warning and Public Warning Operations Manager, the candidate will:

• Prepare and disseminate notifications, alerts, and messages for Notify NYC, the City of New York's official source for information about emergency events and important City services
• Provide ongoing system monitoring
• Ensure that public safety communications are properly processed
• Ensure that data is correctly formatted; Perform quality assurance assessments of data
• Perform testing and maintenance of notification systems
• Prepare operational reports and analysis
• Monitor multiple sources of information related to data telecommunications
• Communicate with various agencies and organizations to confirm the scope and impact of data relating to incidents
• Support the collection and analysis of data utilizing multiple sources of information, including GIS, to develop reporting systems
• Participate in telecommunications testing and coordinate special projects as assigned
• Assist with Ready New York presentations to external groups.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING

As part of NYCEM's emergency response mission, this position participates on an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team. During emergency activations, team members may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or extended shifts in support of City response operations. Outside of activations, EOC members participate in periodic training and exercises to maintain operational readiness, and may volunteer to assist with Ready NY emergency preparedness presentations to external groups. EOC teams are on call for three weeks at a time, with six weeks off in between.

Please note, the high end of the salary range is available to candidates who have been in City service two or more years.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer support to be eligible for selection. Note that NYCEM does not participate in eVerify, which is required for the reauthorization of some visas.

The selected candidate will be required to be in person in the office location three days per week, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances.

For this position, the “Special Note” below in the Minimum Qualification Requirements does not apply.

We as an agency recognize that valuable leadership and analytical experience may be gained through public service, military service, academia, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, volunteer leadership, or other professional settings. Candidates are encouraged to describe transferable experiences that demonstrate their qualifications.

NYCEM is committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the application and hiring process for qualified applicants with disabilities.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Bilingual writer/speaker
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills
• Strong technology skills with proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and Power Point
• Report writing skills