Telecommunicator

City of Lockhart•Lockhart, TX

About The Position

The Telecommunicator receives emergency and non-emergency calls for the City, Fire, EMS, Police, Animal Control, and Utility Departments and dispatches the appropriate emergency units. The role also includes greeting and directing visitors, accepting walk-in utility bill payments, and running driver’s license and license plate numbers. The position requires handling simultaneous calls and making rapid decisions, including during life-threatening or crisis situations.

Responsibilities

Answer phone and radio calls, including 9-1-1 calls; determine whether the situation is an emergency and identify the assistance needed.
Maintain focus and effective communication during life-threatening or crisis situations and with callers who are irate, verbally abusive, hysterical, or minimally communicative.
Handle multiple calls simultaneously and make rapid decisions based on available information and knowledge of emergency procedures.
Dispatch appropriate units, track their locations, and refer calls to other agencies or departments as needed.
Look up information in files or computer databases; handle non-emergency City calls after normal business hours; and notify City agencies about non-emergency calls from the previous day.
Assign incident numbers to incident and accident reports and compile call sheets.
Enter and update call notes, locations, involved persons, and vehicles; generate reports as requested.
Greet and direct visitors.
Distribute and receive permit applications or open records requests and accept walk-in utility bill payments.
File incident and defendant reports and citations; maintain files for Class C warrants and TCIC/NCIC entries.
Run license plate and driver’s license numbers as requested.
Issue the Firing Range key to agency representatives as necessary.
Perform monthly checks on a wide range of electronic equipment.
Attend training sessions and employee meetings, including travel to other cities for required schools and training.