Career Seasonal Dispatcher, Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2 (WFD2)

State of Washington•King County – Enumclaw, WA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hiring a Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2 for its South Puget Sound Region in Enumclaw, Washington. This career seasonal position is typically filled from March through November, depending on fire-season timing and duration and projected agency needs. The role is based in a communication center, which may be a DNR office or an interagency center, and work is performed in an office setting. The position is full-time and seasonal, represented by WPEA. The listed monthly salary is $4,018 to $5,366, with an additional 5% King County duty-station pay added to the base salary. The dispatcher performs a critical emergency-management role by dispatching and tracking agency resources when wildfire threatens life, property, or natural resources. The position also supports fire reporting, logistics, documentation, records management, and other wildfire-related work. The successful candidate will learn and implement complex dispatch procedures and technical programs and use judgment to make daily decisions consistent with those procedures and the agency’s mission to protect Washington’s lands. The role requires strong communication and listening skills, attention to detail, self-motivation, a service-oriented approach, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. It involves receiving and prioritizing reports, coordinating incident responses, supporting aviation operations, maintaining resource and incident information, processing fire weather information and reports, dispatching resources through interagency systems, and maintaining reference materials. DNR describes its mission as managing, sustaining, and protecting the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters for present and future generations. The agency emphasizes integrity, respect, professionalism, joy, diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice.

Requirements

Experience using computer programs such as Microsoft Suite and Adobe.
Experience involving public contact or communication, such as radio communications, receptionist or switchboard work, or clerical office work that includes interacting with the public.
Demonstrated ability to relate to a diverse customer base.
Ability to type 40 words per minute.
Commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
Ability to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, reactive environment.
Ability to pick up and carry office supplies weighing up to 25 pounds as needed.
Ability to learn and implement complex procedures and technical programs used in dispatching.

Nice To Haves

National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualification as an Initial Attack Dispatcher Trainee (IADP-T) or Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher Trainee (EDSD-T).
Two seasons as a Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2.
Wildland fire suppression experience.

Responsibilities

Receive and prioritize communications from agency staff, 911 dispatch centers, and the public by telephone and radio.
Document, evaluate, and disseminate reports of wildland fires, smoke complaints, accidents, and all-hazard incidents on DNR-protected lands.
Track and record agency resource status and logistical availability in support of incident response and preparedness.
Coordinate with incident command staff to initiate local incident responses in accordance with agency protocols and guidelines.
Provide aviation assets with flight-navigation information, including incident coordinates, radio frequencies, ground contacts, and flight hazards or restrictions.
Provide flight following and monitor navigation data to track aviation assets in the South Puget Sound Region during transit and incident response.
Perform clerical dispatch duties, including tracking and documenting resource availability and locations, incident locations, weather forecasts, fire reports, and incident orders.
Process fire weather information and distribute daily intelligence reports to regional resources.
Work with the Wildland Fire Management Division and Northwest Coordination Center to dispatch local resources to state, national, and international wildfire and all-hazard incidents using the Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) system.
Process and complete fire reports and burn permits.
Assist in maintaining, updating, and improving reference materials, Mobilization Guides, databases, manuals, and handbooks used to streamline emergency responses.
Perform assigned duties consistently with applicable laws, regulations, and public-records-retention requirements, and ensure requests are followed.