911 Telecommunicator

Janesville, WI

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support

About the position

The incumbent's primary responsibility is to provide emergency and non-emergency communications response to individuals and entities requesting police, fire or emergency medical services. Through professional information gathering, the incumbent determines the nature of the call, whether a response is necessary and what type of assistance or information is needed. For calls requiring police/fire/EMS response, the incumbent dispatches the appropriate agency to the scene, maintaining proper logs and paperwork (computer and/or manual) of all units dispatched. The incumbent is additionally responsible for retrieving and accurately relaying to requesting field units, information contained in the local, state and national computer systems, and for entering and maintaining law enforcement data in the appropriate computer system(s).

Responsibilities

• Coordinates dispatching of public safety responders.
• Dispatches, via a radio console or other electronic means, emergency and other calls requiring police and/or fire and/or EMS response according to priority and availability of field units.
• Maintains strict radio discipline at all times.
• Monitors dispatched units' activities and receives and transmits to field units updated information as it's received.
• Complies with FCC regulations and agency policies/procedures in the transmission of all radio traffic.
• Records and documents information on calls for service and other dispatch related functions.
• Enters incident data into CAD system.
• Maintains various automated and manual logs, records and files relating to call-taking and dispatching activities.
• Testifies at adjudication hearings, when necessary.
• Assists with emergency and non-emergency call-taking functions.
• Answers 9-1-1 voice and telephone device for the deaf (TDD) telephone calls requesting emergency services.
• Questions callers to determine the nature and location of the problem.
• Extracts and records essential information and, when appropriate, provides emergency medical pre-arrival instructions as dictated by predetermined emergency dispatch protocols.
• Calls back disconnects to determine nature and location of the problem and enters information into computer aided dispatch (CAD) system as appropriate.
• Answers administrative telephone lines, provides routing non-technical information upon request, and refers all other inquiries to the proper person or department.
• Utilizes mapping and other Next Generation 911 technologies to process calls for service.
• Operates the TIME System (Transaction, Information Management Enforcement) and other databases.
• Retrieves and accurately relays to requesting law enforcement field units, information contained in local, state and national computer systems.
• Enters and maintains law enforcement data in the system(s) as appropriate.
• Performs testing of equipment.
• Periodically tests the electronic and mechanical equipment to indicate proper performance.
• Operates emergency warning equipment (e.g. tornado sirens).
• Operates Backup Site systems on an annual basis.
• Attends required training as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduation from high school or equivalent.
• One year experience in public safety call taking or dispatching preferred or one year constant employment in multi-tasking positions or work experience that includes significant contact with the public.
• Ability to type 40 net words per minute.
• Ability to pass a criminal background investigation, fitness for duty exam, drug screening and psychological exam.
• Required to become APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator I Certified within the twelve (12) month probationary period.
• Required to become TIME Certified within the twelve (12) month probationary period.
• Required to become CPR Certified within the twelve (12) month probationary period.
• Required to become EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch) Certified within the twelve (12) month probationary period.

Benefits

• Must have the ability to hear and understand sound sources coming through a communications headset and/or radio and/or standard telephone receiver.
• Must have the ability to speak and write English clearly.
• Must have the ability to read and discern visual images on a variety of media.
• Must have the ability to type accurately on a computer keyboard while conversing with callers and public safety responders.
• Must have the ability to record names and numbers accurately.
• Must have the ability to sit or stand in one place for extended periods of time.