Emergency Communications Specialist

Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc.•Lexington, KY

About The Position

The Emergency Communications Specialist is the central coordination point between ARH hospital facilities, the Security Operations Center (SOC), and external security vendors, including GuardLogic. Reporting to the Director of Emergency Management, the role supports real-time operational and communication alignment during incidents, maintains continuity of communication, and coordinates responses across the enterprise. It helps ensure security events are managed, escalated, and resolved in accordance with ARH policies and healthcare regulatory standards. The role also handles telecommunications for security operations, including routing calls to appropriate departments, security officers, and service providers; coordinating emergency notifications; and communicating with security, law enforcement, fire, EMS, and hospital staff as required. It receives, monitors, documents, and routes communications concerning hospital operations, security incidents, emergencies, and routine service requests. The specialist maintains communication logs, call records, and emergency notification documentation, ensuring that records are accurate and complete. The specialist supports incident coordination, SOC oversight, vendor performance and accountability, emergency management, reporting, process improvement, and training readiness. The position supports communication and response across multiple facilities and works with internal teams, public safety agencies, and external partners to promote timely, accurate information sharing and continuity of operations.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in security operations, emergency management, vendor coordination, or a related field.
Experience in healthcare security or multi-facility corporate environments.
Background in military intelligence, federal law enforcement, or corporate intelligence programs.
Experience with workplace violence, intelligence prevention, intelligence threat assessment programs, or telecommunications.
Experience supporting Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) intelligence functions.
Comply with all Security Operations travel recommendations.
Strong analytical, leadership, and decision-making capabilities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing leadership.
Ability to remain calm under pressure.
Attention to detail and accuracy; multitasking and organizational abilities.
Proficiency with the AVTEC communications platform and console, Motorola Communications systems, and relevant Security Operations computer applications.
Ability to pass a confidential-level background check.
Understanding of emergency communication procedures, including HICS.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Business Administration, or equivalent work experience.
Master’s degree in intelligence and security or a related field.
Professional certification such as CPP (Certified Protection Professional), PSP (Physical Security Professional), IAHSS CHPA (Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator), or a telecommunications certification through DOCJT.
Experience working with or within a Security Operations Center (SOC).
Healthcare security experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary coordination point for active security incidents across ARH hospitals and facilities.
Interface with the SOC to monitor real-time incidents and alerts, ensure timely escalation, and coordinate responses between on-site personnel and centralized monitoring teams.
Maintain situational awareness across multiple facilities and facilitate communication among hospital leadership, security personnel, and SOC operators.
Support incident prioritization, classification, and response alignment.
Review SOC activity, alerts, and reporting for accuracy, completeness, and effectiveness; help develop and refine SOC playbooks, escalation protocols, and response standards.
Serve as the primary liaison between ARH and GuardLogic; coordinate vendor incident-response support, staffing, operational coverage, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
Track vendor performance against service expectations, SLAs, and KPIs and support contract adherence and vendor accountability.
Disseminate critical incident information, including updates, directives, and situational reports, and coordinate shift-to-shift and site-to-site communication.
Contact on-call personnel, physicians, and support staff during emergencies and route calls to appropriate departments, security officers, or service providers.
Operate multi-line telephone, switchboard, computerized communication, and telecommunications systems; maintain automated data and communication system functionality; identify and report equipment malfunctions.
Maintain confidentiality, resolve routine communication issues or direct callers to the appropriate resource, and maintain communications logs, call records, and emergency notification documentation.
Support emergency management during critical incidents, natural disasters, and healthcare-related emergencies, including resource, personnel, and communications coordination.
Support emergency response protocols and incident command structures, including HICS and NIMS communications; coordinate with law enforcement, EMS, fire, other emergency services, and security officers as needed.
Apply established emergency communication and incident prioritization protocols, prioritizing life-safety events, medical emergencies, and critical operational incidents that may affect patient care or facility operations.
Document incidents, communications, and response actions; generate after-action reports, incident summaries, and performance insights; track trends and recommend response improvements.
Ensure documentation meets compliance and audit requirements.
Identify gaps in incident response, communication workflows, and vendor coordination; recommend and implement process improvements.
Assist in developing and maintaining SOPs, incident response playbooks, and communication protocols.
Support training for SOC personnel, security staff, and vendor partners; participate in drills, tabletop exercises, and readiness assessments.
Help ensure training aligns with real-world operational needs.