Emergency Dispatcher

Salary: $58,597.44 per year

Position Summary:

The purpose of this position is to receive and evaluate incoming police, fire, and/or EMS emergency and non-emergency calls, compile relevant information from callers, initiate an incident in CAD to be dispatched, and dispatch police, fire, and/or EMS units and personnel to the scene or transfer the call to the appropriate agency. This position acts under the supervision of a police and/or fire and EMS Dispatch Supervisor.

Essential Functions:

• Trained and currently certified on either Police or Fire/EMS CAD and call-taking protocols.
• Receives and evaluates all incoming calls to determine the urgency of the reported situation. Compiles incident location, participants, and other relevant information and dispatches appropriate units to respond.
• Gathers information and prioritizes calls.
• Tracks the availability and status of response personnel.
• Logs and documents calls for service.
• Relays information clearly and concisely to response personnel and callers.
• Enters calls for service data, including type, location, and incident response, into the CAD system.
• Monitors multiple radio channels and telephone lines.
• Maintains knowledge of emergency communication equipment operations, emergency communication procedures and techniques, and County geography.
• May assist with in-house training of new Emergency Dispatch Call-Takers, Emergency Dispatchers, and other employees as requested.
• Maintains building security, including limited access to front doors after hours.
• May perform inquiries regarding wanted subjects, stolen property, and other information through the MULES computer database and relay information to law enforcement personnel. May conduct criminal history, towed vehicle, ex parte, and missing persons checks.
• Copies information to be delivered to other divisions or departments.
• Receives fax transmissions and distributes messages to the proper individual.
• May utilize resources such as MULES, REJIS, CAD, mobile data, AS400, and other online databases to collect pertinent information.
• Receives messages regarding the status of work operations during non-work hours.
• Must be available to work rotating 12-hour shifts, including holidays and weekends.
• Must participate in on-call rotations and work mandatory overtime when required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Graduation from a general/technical high school or equivalent – Additional college courses preferred
• Successful completion of CritiCall computerized skills testing – Overall Data Entry Score of 3800 KSPH and Overall Non-Data Entry Score of 84% required
• Ability to work 12-hour shifts rotating between days and nights, as well as weekends and holidays
• Must be certified in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) and Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD) or Emergency Police Dispatch (EPD) or willing to obtain EMD/EFD or EPD certification within 90 days of appointment; and be willing to be certified in all three at the time of cross-training
• Ability to interview callers under stressful situations and enter the appropriate information into the CAD System in an accurate and timely manner
• Ability to speak with clarity and calmness in emergency situations
• Ability to recall detailed information with accuracy
• Ability to relay information to field personnel quickly and accurately
• Ability to sit at the Dispatcher console for long periods of time
• Excellent oral communication and hearing skills
• Prior Police, Fire, and/or Emergency Medical Dispatching experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of St. Charles County street systems and jurisdictional boundaries preferred
• All applicants extended a conditional offer will be required to satisfactorily complete the following: medical exam to include vision and hearing tests, drug screen, psychological evaluation, and a full background investigation including verification of qualifying credentials; criminal history report; verification of personal and professional references; education verification; and employment history. Applicants must be free of felony convictions and/or pending charges. (Failure to disclose any information on the background investigation may disqualify an applicant.)
• Any combination of education, training, and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.