911 Public Safety Telecommunicator

Pinellas County Government•Largo, FL

About The Position

Pinellas County Regional 9-1-1 is seeking dedicated individuals for a professional career in emergency communications. Public Safety Telecommunicators assist people calling 9-1-1 and nonemergency lines, dispatch calls, and support first responders through radio communications. They handle a variety of emergency and non-emergency public safety calls by telephone and radio while maintaining a calm, compassionate, and customer service-oriented demeanor. The role is based in a 24/7 call-center environment, and telecommunicators are considered essential employees. The 16-week training program consists of eight weeks of classroom training and eight weeks of on-the-job training. Classroom training is Monday through Friday, generally 40 to 44 hours per week, with classes starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. or 6 p.m., depending on the syllabus. During on-the-job training, employees are paired with an experienced telecommunicator and follow that employee’s schedule, which may be on first, second, or third shift. OJT involves a four-day work week with a combination of 8- and 12-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays. After successful completion of training, employees participate in a seniority-based shift-bid process. Bids occur three times per year, establishing a shift for four months at a time. Shifts typically involve four-day work weeks with a combination of 8- and 12-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays; shift times vary. Overtime may be available as needed. During disasters, employees must remain at the 9-1-1 center until released, potentially overnight, and are compensated for that time. Starting pay is $24.02 per hour, increasing to $27.14 per hour upon successful completion of the 16-week training program. A 5%–10% shift differential is available when applicable. The next class starts in January 2027.

Requirements

Be at least 18 years old.
Have a high school diploma or equivalent (G.E.D.).
Be able to speak, write, and comprehend English.
Possess above-average computer skills and be comfortable working across 3–5 monitors simultaneously.
Remain calm and in control when speaking with emotional callers while entering pertinent, detailed information into multiple software programs.
Meet organizational spelling and typing requirements of 40 words per minute.
Comprehend and retain information and decisively implement standard operating procedures.
Work well with others in a large, fast-paced call center.
Pass pre-hire testing and background screening, including a Level 2 Criminal History Check completed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Pass a pre-hire drug screening and be subject to random drug testing during employment.

Responsibilities

Screen emergency and non-emergency 9-1-1 calls, texts, and video chats requesting emergency assistance or information.
Gather information from callers while accurately entering it into multiple software programs across multiple computer screens.
Dispatch fire and medical first responders.
Apply International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) guidelines for emergency medical and fire dispatch, using on-the-job public safety practices.
Communicate with first responders by telephone, radio, and computer-aided dispatch software.
Perform related work as assigned or required.