Public Safety Communications Operator II (911 Dispatcher)

Public Safety Communications Operator II

Joplin Police Department – Emergency Communications

Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment? A career in Emergency Communications may be just what you are looking for! Emergency Communications professionals are a critical and dedicated part of our Public Safety mission. Apply today for a position in a supportive atmosphere where you will be challenged, learn new technology, and apply your skills to make a difference in your community!

Every minute. Every day. Always there.

Public Safety Communication testing is a requirement for this position.

Candidates in this position are subject to call back and hold over to maintain minimum staffing requirements 24/7.

We are hiring multiple candidates for this position!

Requires successful post-offer completion of a background investigation, physical exam, and drug test (including marijuana/THC) as a condition of employment with the City of Joplin. Candidate MUST HAVE a valid driver's license.

Primary Purpose

This critical role serves as the vital communications link between the public needing help and emergency and non-emergency services response. As members of the public safety ecosystem, PSC Operators are typically the first point of contact when a person reaches out for help. This entails a candidate to be able to work independently in a high stress environment while receiving and evaluating incoming emergency and non-emergency requests for services, including but not limited to law enforcement, 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.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent required.

Experience: No specific experience is required, but prefer prior experience in public safety communications or high-volume telephone customer service environments requiring data entry.

Licenses and Certifications: A valid state issued driver’s license is required. Must complete Basic Telecommunicator Course, certification for Missouri Uniform License Examination System (MULES), Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Training, and CPR certification prior to completion of the probationary period.

Schedule

Must be able to work 12-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays.

Salary & Benefits

Starting at $19.293 per hour ($40,129 annually), depending on experience.

We provide free health insurance to the employee, and a great family rate (that does not increase per additional member) with a low deductible, low co-pays, and free preventive care services.

Additional Benefits include:

• 2 weeks of vacation accrual per year.
• Free life insurance to the employee, with supplemental options.
• Dental insurance starting at $9.02/month with fully covered preventive services.
• Vision insurance starting at $1.44/month.
• Tuition reimbursement, longevity pay, Care Leave and sick leave buy-back programs.
• Missouri LAGERS Retirement – employees do not pay into it; employee is fully vested after only 5 years of employment.
• Access to 457 retirement plans with several benefits over traditional 401k plans.
• Free library cards & gym access, fun employee events, and more!

Job Duties

• Using training and policies to screen requests for emergency and non-emergency services; answering them professionally, recognizing if a call is received from telephone, text, video, or an automated data feed.
• Using appropriate technology to communicate with callers.
• Interpreting sensor data to triage, prioritize, properly categorize, and initiate the correct emergency and non-emergency response.
• Using knowledge of law enforcement, fire, and EMS protocols to prioritize and sequence calls promptly in limited time with limited or no supervision.
• Demonstrating clear and effective communications with active listening, call control, judgment, respect, and empathy with callers that range from calm to panicked. The job duties and tasks are an all-inclusive list based on current capabilities of ECCs.
• Providing pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions to those that require assistance during high stress situations, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), childbirth, hemorrhaging, active shooter, and entrapments.
• Managing challenging callers using appropriate handling of distressed, autistic, hearing-impaired, elderly, angry, and foreign-language-speaking callers.
• Providing direct counseling to suicidal persons, domestic violence victims, and children.
• Ascertaining incident information by obtaining and verifying caller information and location, determining the nature of the incident, and all available data including but not limited to automated data, social media information, text message, images or video, and providing information to emergency services either verbally and/or digitally.
• Ability to prioritize multiple events based on available resources—critical thinking.
• Using TDD and relay services to comply with standards for handling calls from hearing-impaired callers.
• Utilizing language interpretation services and coordinating with mental health resources for appropriate contacts with callers who have mental health or language barriers to receiving help.
• Using text-to-911 to communicate effectively with callers.
• Interpreting caller location by using geographic knowledge, tools, and location tracking capabilities when available.
• Interpreting automatic number and automatic location data provided by the emergency communications phone system and verifying data using mapping software for accuracy and reliability.
• Maintaining communications during life-threatening emergencies, providing safety/lifesaving instructions, and maintaining control of the conversation until field units arrive on scene.
• Using available vehicular, bystander, and/or law enforcement information for the purpose of protecting the public at the scene as well as on-scene responders by identifying the need for advanced life support resources or specialized fire extraction equipment.
• Utilizing training and reference resources when determining the nature and priority of emergency incidents that have live-streaming videos, graphic images, and text.
• Using training and operational protocols to take appropriate action such as: relaying critical information, dispatching/initiating emergency response services, or referring callers to other agencies.
• Documenting incident details quickly and accurately to establish incident urgency, categorizing the incident type, and obtaining the proper help for the caller.
• Demonstrating clear and effective communications and active listening with public safety responders using appropriate terminology and codes.
• Relaying initial information for dispatch accurately, reviewing the call for service details, and assuming incident command until first responders arrive.
• Conducting health and safety status checks of responders and using other available technology to ensure on-scene responders’ safety.
• Documenting thoroughly and accurately all incident activities while maintaining awareness of scene activities.
• Operating emergency, administrative, and backup telephone communications systems effectively.
• Facilitating the transferring of calls to the appropriate resources and performing conference calls with entities.
• Interpreting and understanding local and regional geography to quickly and accurately identify the location of the emergency to improve response times of field responders.
• Operating a sophisticated workstation comprised of multiple computer systems, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) software and geographical information systems (GIS), state and federal clearinghouses, call handling including teletypewriter (TTY) and text-to-911 sessions, as well as communications systems such as radio dispatch consoles and recording systems.
• Operating multiple systems and conversations simultaneously without mistake.
• Notifying key personnel of critical incidents, using judgment to determine the need to contact other law enforcement and public safety agencies for additional information and resources as needed, or relaying information regarding incidents and situational awareness.
• Using mass notification software, including social media platforms, to keep the public informed of emergency incidents.
• Activating mass community warning and notification software programs to inform the public of impending critical information related to such things as severe weather impacts, potential injury or life safety events.
• Managing chain of custody for records and documentation used in court proceedings and legal discovery.
• Maintaining a calm demeanor under chaotic and stressful circumstances, multiple conversations, and frequently noisy environments.
• Completing training, certifications, and competencies as needed by actively seeking training, completing the training and certifications required for assigned PSC Operator positions, and completing continuing education and career development as necessary. Following established agency policies and procedures, being aware of liability to the agency, and adhering to federal disclosure and privacy laws.
• Utilize debriefing tools, stress management techniques, and critical incident response models to deal with mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

Apply Online

https://www.joplinmo.org/FormCenter/Human-Resources-12/Online-Employment-Application-90

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $19.29 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $40,129