Control Center Dispatcher

Job Description

The work involves responsibility for monitoring the condition of the water system through the control center of the City of Syracuse Water Department, providing informational services to the public regarding the services and operations of the Department of Water, other City departments and outside agencies, as well as operating a central two-way radio system to monitor and send messages to work crews in the field involved in construction, maintenance and/or repair projects. Employees in this class must exercise independent judgment to react quickly and accurately to dangerous and/or emergency situations. Assignments are received orally and in writing from an administrative superior. Routine clerical work is required in keeping a daily log of work activities. Does related work as required.

Typical Work Activities

• Monitors all equipment and alarms in the control center.
• Reports failures, damage or misuse of equipment or alarms to superiors.
• Operates the control center phone system.
• Reads and records, as directed, data from the water system monitoring equipment.
• Operates equipment at the plant or remotely to make necessary changes to the water system.
• Reports indications of major system problems and subsequent actions taken to superiors.
• Relays information such as location and possible problems to appropriate staff and contacts the appropriate departments, during off hours, to correct emergency situations.
• Transmits messages and orders by radio, phone or computer between the various units working in the field of construction, maintenance and/or repair projects.
• Receives radio reports of location from motor equipment; tells motor equipment operator the official time of each report; records all communications on a simple radio log by posting unit number, time of transmission and location of unit.
• Informs motor equipment operators of location of next work assignment at the request of superiors; may send equipment to an emergency work site following a detailed standard operating procedure which indicates which type of vehicle to send to what type of job and/or which geographical sectors are covered by each vehicle.
• Answers telephone; records public complaints, name, address, and type of problem and records information into computers and/or file cards.
• Monitors security cameras at various City locations.
• May use a data entry terminal or personal computer for filing or obtaining information.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Good knowledge of City department's operations, personnel, equipment and location of buildings.
• Good knowledge of the geography of the local road network.
• Ability to react quickly and calmly in emergencies.
• Ability to maintain a variety of simple logs and lists.
• Ability to interpret maps and computer graphics.
• Ability to transmit messages with good diction and a clear speaking voice.

Minimum Qualifications

Promotional:

• Two (2) years of permanent non-competitive class status in the title of Motor Equipment Dispatcher.

Open Competitive:

• A) One (1) year of full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in the operation and/or maintenance of a municipal water or wastewater system; or
• B) One (1) year of full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in dispatching work crews or emergency personnel; or
• C) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an Associate's degree in Electronic Media Communications, Computer Science or a closely related field; or
• D) Two (2) years of full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in the operation and/or maintenance of computers.

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance
• Retirement plan