Telecommunicator

BOCC Career Site•Tampa, FL

20d•$21 - $22•Onsite

About The Position

This critical role serves as the vital communications link between public requests for help and a timely response by emergency services. The candidate must be able to work independently in a high-stress environment while receiving and evaluating incoming emergency and administrative requests for emergency services. These services include but are not limited to fire and emergency medical services (EMS), triaging those requests for service, providing guidance and assistance to the public in life-safety situations, and coordinating appropriate responses to high risk, high-stress operations, with the objective of keeping all participants safe.

Requirements

Graduation from high school or possession of a GED Certificate; AND
Possession of a valid Florida Driver's License; AND
Must be able to work on a rotating schedule including nights, weekends, holidays to ensure 24/7 staffing; AND
Must be willing to be called back and held over to maintain minimum staffing 24/7.
No illegal drug use within the past 36 months or after 30 years of age.
No illegal drug sale.
No felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving perjury, false statement, or domestic violence.
Meet all medical, physical, and psychological requirements.
Obtain within the probationary period certification in First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST), International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) Fire and Medical.

Responsibilities

Apply training and policies to screen requests for emergency services, answering them professionally, recognizing if a call is received from telephone, text, video, or an automated feed.
Provide pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions to those requiring assistance during high-stress situations such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), childbirth, hemorrhaging, active shooter, and entrapments.
Ascertain incident information from multiple sources to determine the nature of the incident and provide information to emergency services either verbally and/or digitally.
Use training and operational protocols to relay critical information, dispatch resources and initiate emergency response services, or referring callers to other agencies.
Conduct health and safety status checks of emergency responders and ensure on-scene responders’ safety.
Demonstrate clear and effective communications with active listening, call control, good judgement, and professional respect with callers that range from calm to panicked.
Use TDD and relay services to comply with standards for handling calls from hearing impaired callers.
Utilize language interpretation services.
Use text to 9-1-1 to communicate effectively with callers.
Interpret caller location by using geographic knowledge, tools, and location tracking capabilities when available.
Maintain communications during life-threatening emergencies, provide safety/lifesaving instructions, and maintain control of the conversation until field units arrive on scene.
Document the incident details quickly and accurately to establish incident urgency, categorize the incident types, and obtain the proper help for the caller.
Relay initial information for dispatch accurately, review the call for service details, and assume incident command until first responders arrive on scene.
Facilitate the transfer of calls to appropriate resources and perform conference calls with entities, such as but not limited to BLS providers, poison control centers or helicopter dispatch.
Operate multiple systems and conversations simultaneously while minimizing mistakes.
Maintain a calm demeanor under chaotic and stressful circumstances, multiple conversations, and frequently noisy environments.
Complete training, certifications, recertifications and competencies as required for the Public Safety Telecommunicator position and completing continuing education and career development as assigned.
Use provided debriefing tools, stress management techniques and critical incident response to deal with mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.
Read and interpret geographical spatial data and maps quickly and accurately.
Be resilient and resourceful while coordinating high-risk, high-stress operations, with the primary objective of keeping all participants safe.
Use judgement and decision-making skills to rapidly evaluate situations, establish priorities, resolve matters, and pass on information, as needed.
Performs other related duties as required.