Emergency Medical Dispatcher - Overnights and Weekends Needed!

Ready to launch or continue your career in Emergency Medical Dispatch / Communications? Armstrong Ambulance Service looking for an Emergency Medical Dispatcher to join our Communications team!

For over ten decades, Armstrong Ambulance has set the standard for emergency transportation in Massachusetts. We are a family-run business committed to superior medical care and dependable service. 

POSITION SUMMARY: Work involves evaluating incoming calls to determine the appropriate level of emergency medical service (EMS) assistance required, dispatching units, and transmitting information and messages upon request and/or according to established procedures.Assist in all operational aspects of the Communications Center, including but not limited to; preceptor programs, data entry, ongoing training / staff meetings, vehicle utilization, customer service issues, as well as interaction with field / management staff. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide professional and courteous service while receiving incoming calls from the public or other public safety entities requesting emergency and non-emergency assistance, achieve and maintain control of call and provide proper interrogation to obtain necessary information to determine the appropriate response and priority. 
• Dispatch appropriate units according to acuity level, availability and location or provide appropriate information as required while simultaneously maintaining radio contact with and monitoring the status of all field units. 
• Prioritize requests for and dispatch appropriate resources for non-emergency transports based on customer relationship. 
• Maintain accurate record and log of all incidents including address of incident, times, type of response, unit number, EMT/paramedic names, patient name and disposition. 
• Maintain awareness of all field units’ status and location and assist in coordinating the activities of all field units. 
• Monitor multiple public safety radio frequencies, hospital diversions and video surveillance screens; operate a variety of communications equipment, including radio consoles, paging systems, telephones, computer aided dispatch systems and multiple computer programs/systems. 
• Communicate with other public safety agencies, hospitals, public works departments, support services and any other entity as needed to request or forward necessary information.
• Send, receive, enter, update and disperse information by computer, telephone, cellular telephone, facsimile or other methods. 
• Interact with visitors personally and on the telephone; receive, process and record requests and complaints and route individuals to proper personnel as appropriate. 
• Manually activate interior and exterior doors from the dispatch office. 
• Test and inspect equipment as required. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and/or Experience 

• One year certificate from college or technical school; or three to six months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must be able to pass the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) program within 6 months of hire and maintain certification during employment.
  

Ability to: 

• Remain calm and effective under heavy workloads and in emergency situations. 
• Exercise good judgment in emergency situations. 
• Determine priorities of emergencies. 
• Obtain and act on information quickly and accurately in emergency situations. 
• Work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays to maintain 24-hour coverage of the emergency dispatch system. 
• Comprehend and make inferences from written materials such as operations manuals. 
• Learn job-related material through oral instruction and observation,  and reading to effectively perform job duties. This learning takes place in an on-the-job training setting.. 
• Learn street locations, station locations, and geography of the areas served. 
• Learn to operate communications equipment (multi-button telephones, base radios, and computer terminals).