Emergency Telecommunications Dispatchers

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Responsibilities include coordinating the operations and activities in the Emergency Communications Center. Test, monitor, and operate police and fire signaling systems. Receive and process police, fire, and EMS-related emergency calls using various national, state, and local protocols. Dispatch police, fire, EMS, and other emergency units and personnel as needed. Monitor and operate radio, computer, telephone, and other specialized equipment in support of public safety communications and dispatch functions. Perform other dispatch, signal monitoring, and communications support duties as assigned.

Working under the supervision of the ECC Supervisor, the ETD will have detailed job responsibilities in the following major areas:

• Receiving Telephone Calls and Obtaining Information Using Structured Protocols
• Dispatching Public Safety Personnel and Resources
• Understanding Police and Fire Field Operations and Procedures
• Processing Alarms from Police, Fire and Central Station Signaling Equipment
• Providing Information to Responders, the Public and Other Agencies
• Providing Emergency Medical Dispatch Services and Instructions
• Testing City Fire and Intrusion Alarm Signaling Equipment
• Servicing Field Unit Requests for Service
• Reporting and Recordkeeping
• Troubleshooting 911 and Other Signaling Equipment
• Operating General Facility Devices and Equipment
• Taking Reports Over the Phone
• Continuing Education Training
• Maintaining the Facility and Workspace
• Undertaking Special Projects

ETDs receive a variety of operational and technical training in support of their duties. ETDs work in a combined 911 and Public Safety Dispatch environment handling police, fire, and medical emergencies. ETDs also handle police and fire non-emergency calls on 10-digit business lines. Based on training, console position setup and the discretion of supervisors, ETDs will be expected to work at any position including those primarily responsible for call answering, police dispatching, fire/EMS dispatching, and computer operations. ETDs are expected to participate in on-going training and to maintain all dispatch-related certifications, including those for CPR, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), and CJIS. ETDs may also be assigned a wide variety of special duties at the discretion of Department management, including support duties in the Emergency Operations Center or at Tactical Command Posts. All ETD's are also required to assist with training other employees as needed.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• A high school diploma or GED is required.
• Applicants will undergo a multi-part Dispatcher Screening Process.
• Applicants must have the ability to touch-type at least 30 WPM (net of errors). A typing test will be administered during the hiring process.
• Applicants must also pass additional tests and a thorough background and criminal history review.

• Candidates must have interest in, and be suitable for, work in a combined police, fire, and EMS dispatch center.
• Also required is maturity of judgment and the following abilities: ability to learn and understand the basic field operations and procedures of the police and fire departments, to manage police-fire dispatch operations and support units and field commanders requesting resources and support actions, to use various technical systems including computerized dispatch, signaling, alarm monitoring, telephone console, and general personal computer equipment.
• Additionally, candidates should possess a courteous but authoritative telephone voice and manner, as well as the ability to understand and skillfully manage emergency and business callers.
• Must have the ability to be understood clearly by others over radio and telephone circuits, to accurately record the detail of telephone and radio conversations, and to remain calm under the pressure of emergencies, peaking workloads, and multiple (simultaneous) responsibilities.
• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse, and candidates must demonstrate the knowledge and the ability to work effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PREFERRED: Detailed knowledge of the City of Cambridge with demonstrated knowledge of Cambridge streets and locations strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience in one of several areas of public safety and/or public safety dispatching including one year of experience as a public safety, police, fire or EMS dispatcher, a police officer, firefighter, EMT, or paramedic, police/fire alarm or telecommunications system installer, call center operator, or dispatcher in non-public safety agency or private agency preferred. Certification from the Massachusetts State 911 Department's Public Safety Communications 5-Week Academy or CJIS certification from the Massachusetts Criminal History Systems Board is strongly preferred. A bachelor's or associate degree in criminal justice or a related field is also preferred. The ability to speak Spanish, Portuguese or Haitian-Creole is also preferred, in addition to English.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Tasks involve extensive keyboarding on multiple keyboards and attentive listening to telephone calls and radio transmissions (often at a low volume level and of poor audio quality on a department-supplied headset or handset). Candidates must have the ability to exert very moderate physical effort typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, and lifting, as well as carrying, pushing, and pulling objects and materials of moderate weight, twelve to twenty pounds. Candidates must be able to work any shift assignments, including nights, weekends, holidays, overtime (both forced and scheduled), and up to 16-hour shifts. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: General call center-type environment with air conditioning and fluorescent lighting. The noise level can be high as the office is active with phone calls, radio transmissions, signal and equipment sound.

INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS: All interested candidates are welcome to attend a departmental informational session. For additional information on dates and times visit www.cambridge911.org.

• Resume
• Cover letter

#P1