Communicator (Probationary)

City of St. Catharines • St. Catharines, ON

13d

About The Position

Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, the Fire Communicator answers emergency and non-emergency requests for assistance on 9-1-1 lines, from agency direct and partner emergency services and initiates calls for service for 28 fire departments in a coordinated manner and performs other related work as required and/or assigned.

Requirements

• Must have Grade 12 diploma or equivalent.
• Must possess current certification of CPR and Standard First Aid training.
• Exceptional oral communication and listening skills.
• Demonstrated multi-tasking ability.
• Experience and/or education required in public safety telecommunication fields, including Fire, Police and EMS Communications.
• Ability and commitment to learn and maintain advanced knowledge of the geography of the Niagara Region, Haldimand County and Norfolk County, including, but not limited to, major streets, highways, bodies of water and landmarks.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Ontario Driver’s License, minimum Class “G”.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of the position (e.g. repetitive arm/hand movement; intense visual and auditory concentration)
• Able to work rotating 12-hour shifts including day/night shifts
• Proficient computer skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite software programs with the ability to adapt to various software platforms.
• Candidates will undertake continuous skill and educational upgrading as soon as practicable as a requirement of the position including but not limited to: APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator – most current edition NFPA 1061 - Telecommunicator I and II Professional Qualification Standard

Nice To Haves

• Experience and/or education in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) background is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provides outstanding customer service to all external and internal customers.
• Receives and processes all requests for emergency and non-emergency calls, complaints, and inquiries from the public.
• Determines nature and urgency of requests for service and prioritizes effectively.
• Dispatches fire and other public safety units, in accordance with established procedures, and based on the nature of the call, staff availability, and location of the incident.
• Operates a variety of communication equipment, including emergency radio system, computerized dispatch consoles (CAD) and keyboards, multi-line telephone equipment, and camera monitoring equipment.
• Retrieves information in response to requests from fire units, and monitors and maintains status and location of units.
• Contacts partner agencies to coordinate public safety and mutual aid/automatic aid operations.
• Maintains a daily report of fire alarm system status.
• Responsibilities include notification of the Community Control Group as part of activation of the City of St. Catharines Emergency Plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees