911 Dispatcher

County of Chester•Government Services Center - Westtown, PA

About The Position

The Telecommunicator I is the initial point of contact for the public, receiving calls for assistance and making decisions according to established policies and procedures. The position relays information to a Telecommunicator II or III so appropriate help can be dispatched, and also performs clerical work. The role supports the Department of Emergency Services’ mission to promote and assist in providing safety and security for Chester County citizens. The class begins January 25, 2027. For the first eight weeks, the schedule is Monday through Thursday, 0730–1730. After class, the schedule changes to an eight-day rotating cycle of two 0700–1900 shifts, two 1900–0700 shifts, and four days off while the employee continues on-the-job training. The schedule includes built-in overtime; hours over 40 per week and holiday hours are paid at an overtime rate. The position requires availability 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Department of Emergency Services employees are essential personnel and may be required to work outside normal business hours for extended periods. During emergencies or training and exercises, assignments may include work in the Emergency Operations Center, deployment to a field location, or other duties. Emergency assignments may occur under adverse conditions, last from a few hours to several weeks, and require travel.

Requirements

High school diploma or General Education Degree (GED).
Strong listening and communication skills, including the ability to speak, read, and write English clearly with accurate grammar and spelling and few mistakes.
Ability to complete three months of job-related training.
Ability to perform efficiently under extreme pressure.
APCO Basic Telecommunication certification or ability to achieve certification.
CPR, TDD, and HAZMAT awareness or the ability to learn these subjects.
APCO EMD certification or ability to obtain certification.
Must successfully complete FEMA courses IS100, IS200, IS700, IS800, and IS2200 within six months of hire.
Pennsylvania call-taker certification or ability to obtain certification.
Ability to carry out orders with precision and speed.
Ability to deal with the public in a courteous and tactful manner.
Ability to establish priorities and remain focused on operations.
Ability to follow protocols to categorize and respond to emergency calls.
Ability to use common-sense understanding to provide verbal instructions.
Flexibility and ability to complete multiple tasks.
Strong work ethic and willingness to learn new tasks.
Professionalism, integrity, honesty, and ability to handle confidential matters.
Basic Office Suite skills, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Explorer.
Basic Outlook skills for email and calendar.
Typing/word-processing skills of 20 words per minute.
Proficient in the Chester County Computer Aided Dispatch system or ability to learn it.
General computer skills.
Driver’s license required to drive between sites for department business.
Ability to recognize and identify audible and visual signals.
Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less) for office work.
Ability to sit for extended periods, including 12-hour shifts.
Availability to work rotating shifts and occasionally extended hours, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

Additional secondary education, training courses, or certification programs.
Experience working or volunteering in emergency services or public safety.
Knowledge of other languages.
Familiarity with alarm notification.
Familiarity with ANI/ALI correction forms.
Knowledge of Chester County policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Handle and process emergency calls in a timely and professional manner.
Enter emergency calls for dispatch to appropriate responders.
Maintain certification and continuing education requirements.
Assist with quality improvement programs.
Train new personnel once certified.
Provide emergency medical instructions.
Review and submit caller location data corrections.
Review and submit Computer Aided Dispatch data corrections.
Assist with procedural updates.
Assist with public education and responder education.
Assist with Emergency Operations Center activations and drills as needed.
Perform other assigned duties, tasks, and special projects.
Carry out duties with close to 100% accuracy within extremely short time limits.