Telecommunicator Trainee

County of Blair • Altoona, PA

20h • Onsite

About The Position

As a Telecommunicator Trainee, you will undergo a comprehensive 12-week training program to prepare you for the essential duties of a telecommunicator. This role involves receiving calls, monitoring radio frequencies, and monitoring intrusion and fire alarms with speed, courtesy, accuracy, and efficiency. You will be responsible for ascertaining the nature and location of required services, taking necessary actions to ensure service provision, and documenting response activities. The position requires operating a console equipped with multiple computer terminals, mapping and camera systems, radio channels, telephone lines, and a keyboard. You will provide callers with medical and/or other emergency instructions prior to the arrival of emergency units, calming them as needed to extract pertinent information. Maintaining alertness during up to 12-hour shifts, regardless of workload, is crucial. The training program includes three months of full-time classroom instruction (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) followed by up to three months of hands-on training across multiple shifts in a 24-hour operation. Successful completion of accredited training in telecommunications (APCO Institute or equivalent) and emergency medical or police dispatch, along with accompanying certifications, is required. You must also develop a working knowledge of emergency communications center policies and procedures, as well as the geography, topography, environmental characteristics, and road maps of Blair County. Hires must pass post-offer, pre-employment drug screens and criminal background checks, and cannot use medical marijuana due to federal funding.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED
• Fluency in English
• Data entry skills that allow for accurate, efficient recording of communications recorded in real-time or later
• Demonstrated abilities to work, organize, and operate with a high level of productivity when under pressure
• Demonstrated abilities to effectively handle multiple differing tasks simultaneously
• Superior accuracy in all duties
• Learns and demonstrates capacity for work and essential duties of job via successful completion of 12-week training program provided through the employer
• Successful completion of three months of full-time classroom training (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
• Successful completion of three months maximum of hands-on training across multiple shifts in a 24-hour operation
• Forty hours of accredited training in telecommunications, APCO Institute or equivalent, and accompanying certification
• Training in emergency medical dispatching or emergency police dispatch with accompanying certification
• Working knowledge of or ability to learn policies and procedures of an emergency communications center
• Knowledge of or ability to learn geography, topography, and environmental characteristics of Blair County
• Knowledge of or ability to learn use of municipal/county/state road maps
• Pass post-offer, pre-employment drug screen and criminal background checks
• Cannot use medical marijuana because of federal funding provided to the role

Responsibilities

• Receiving calls, monitoring radio frequencies, and monitoring intrusion and fire alarms in a fast, courteous, accurate, and efficient manner
• Ascertaining nature and location of service required
• Taking action(s) needed to ensure service is provided
• Documenting response activities
• Operating console equipped with multiple computer terminals, mapping and camera systems, radio channels, telephone lines, and keyboard, etc.
• Providing callers with medical and/or other emergency instructions prior to arrival of emergency units
• Calming callers as needed to extract pertinent information
• Remaining alert during up to 12-hour shift with consistent steadiness, courtesy, or patience and regardless of workload
• Completing training as directed
• Staffing and operating field equipment
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Performing other duties as required

Benefits

• Enrollment in pension plan upon hire, including a required 5% pre-tax withholding
• 90% employer-paid PPO healthcare with vision and three-tier prescription components (after training graduation)
• Public employer's equivalent of 401(k) (after training graduation)
• Short-term disability (after training graduation)
• Term life insurance (after training graduation)
• Menu of voluntary benefits that includes dental and Aflac (after training graduation)
• 14 annual paid holidays (after training graduation)
• Other time-off provisions (after training graduation)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees