Emergency Communications Dispatcher

Oregon Health & Science University•Portland, OR

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Emergency Communications Dispatchers perform critical dispatch functions in the field of Emergency Communications. Incumbents operate sophisticated communications equipment including multi-channel radios, multi-line telephone systems, computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV), and alarm systems to prioritize and process emergency and non-emergency calls for service and dispatch law enforcement and Facilities responders. Emergency Communications Dispatchers work directly with Primary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs/9-1-1 Centers) to coordinate complex and high-risk incidents, as well as requests for officer back-up, and to dispatch fire and/or emergency medical services. Work is often performed under stressful demands for speed and accuracy, and employees are required to perform with minimal supervision. Emergency Communications Dispatchers are often the first point of contact for the emergency services system as a whole and, therefore, possess acute customer service, conversational, and de-escalation skills, as well as a keen awareness of the diverse cultures and identities of the people that work, study, seek care, and visit OHSU and its campuses. Incumbents are required to maintain their skills and effectively perform all of the duties for which they are certified. Quality of work is reviewed through the evaluation of service provided to the public, users, and partner agencies (e.g., typed and audio recorded) and through direct observation on-the-job. Emergency Communications Dispatchers are vital to the emergency services ecosystem and must staff the communications center all hours and all days, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Applicants will take a dispatch aptitude test called ‘Criticall 911’ if selected to interview, additional details to come.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent
Multi-line call center or telephone experience
1-year of customer service experience
1-year of computer data entry and retrieval of information or comparable experience
Critical thinking skills
Operate a multi-line phone
Ability to learn the geography of the OHSU campus and surrounding areas.
Ability to effectively use oral and written communication in performance of duties and responsibilities.
Must pass a law enforcement background investigation.
Must pass a Medical Examination.
Must pass a Psychological Evaluation.
Must attend the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Basic Telecommunications Academy and obtain Basic Telecommunicator Certification within 18 months after hire; must complete annual certification maintenance requirements to maintain position.
Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) certified within first 6 months of hire
Compliance with Code of Conduct, Respect in the workplace and Applicable policies, procedures and agreements related to position, department or OHSU as a whole
Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation

Nice To Haves

Associate or College Degree
Minimum of 1-2 years: dispatch or heavy customer service experience
Radio communications experience
9-1-1 Emergency Communications experience
Prior experience working with a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) application
Alarm monitoring
Ability to receive and prioritize both emergency and non-emergency calls for service.
Ability to multi-task and perform many simultaneous functions while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
Current DPSST Basic (or Intermediate or Advanced) Telecommunicator Certification
Current Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) Certification

Responsibilities

Receive and rapidly triage and prioritize emergency and non-emergency telephone and radio calls for law enforcement and Facilities in a dynamic environment to determine appropriate action(s) to be taken.
Maintain and monitor status of law enforcement field units and assign requests for emergency and non-emergency services to the appropriate unit(s) utilizing a computer-aided dispatch terminal and radio system.
Effectively communicate with a variety of people with various educational, ethnic, sociocultural backgrounds, and identities.
Maintain and thoroughly document accurate records of all events, written logs, and actions taken.
Effectively communicate with and maintain positive customer service with callers, users, co-workers, PSAPs, and other Police, Fire and EMS partners.

Benefits

Medical, dental and vision coverage at low or no cost to employees
Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents
Several retirement plans to choose from! – Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan and University Pension Plan, voluntary savings plans (403b, 401a and 457b)
Up to 200 hours (equal to 25 full days) a year of paid time off
96 hours of sick leave a year (prorated by FTE status)
Commuter subsidies
Tuition reimbursement
Access to group life insurance, disability insurance and other supplemental benefits
Annual Raises
Employee discounts to local and major businesses
Childcare service discounts
Growth/Development Opportunities