911 Dispatcher

**CITY OF ELKHART - JOB DESCRIPTION**

**DEPARTMENT**
- Communication Center**POSITION**
- Dispatcher**DIVISION**

**STATUS**
- Full-time**CATEGORY**
- Hourly, IN-FOP LCI- PG-2, PG-3, PG-4**FLSA**
- Non-exempt**REPORTS TO**
- Communications Department Head**DATE**

**JOB SUMMARY**
- Receives in-coming emergency and non-emergency calls for assistance, dispatches appropriate emergency response units, coordinates communications with and for police, fire, emergency management agency, and other public safety agencies.**PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Takes complaints and emergency phone calls on business and 911 lines, providing information or emergency assistance as needed.
- Dispatches appropriate police, fire, or medical units per SOP and coordinates necessary initial response to emergency and non-emergency situations.
- Provides pre-arrival emergency medical instruction according to nationally certified program of emergency medical dispatch.
- Is responsible continuously monitoring multiple public safety radio frequencies, and maintains control of specific assigned radio frequencies.
- Is responsible to maintain radio contact with and respond to needs of police, fire, and medical personnel on duty, as well as area public safety agencies, and other City departments.
- Keeps appropriate logs and written records as per SOP.
- Enters, queries, and extracts data in various communications and computer systems such as CAD, IDACS, Nlets, and NCIC, records management systems, hazardous materials programs, and weather satellite program, utilizing precise formats, and disseminates such data to authorized personnel and agencies as required.
- Receives and disseminates severe weather information in coordination with the National Weather Service.
- Receives and relays Emergency Management Agency information.
- Coordinates responses of police, fire, medical, Emergency Management Agency, and other city department personnel in times of emergency, disasters, and critical incidents.
- Maintains a neat and orderly work environment in accordance with Departmental policies.
- Promotes and upholds a teamwork concept in accordance with Departmental policies.
- Must attend Departmental meetings as called by supervisory staff.
- Must participate in, and encourage co-workers to participate in, on-going training and continuing education, both in personal goals and at the discretion of supervisory staff.

**OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Incumbent works under general instruction from supervisors. Extensive guidelines are provided in manuals and directives.
- Incumbent must be continuously alert and monitoring on duty personnel, equipment, radio frequencies, computer terminals and programs and phone lines.
- Incumbent must deal effectively and compassionately with the general public and people in various emotional states.
- Incumbent must have the ability to demonstrate professional demeanor at all times on radio and phones
- Incumbent must stay calm and composed, and make sound judgments and decisions regarding appropriate responses in routine and critical situations.
- Incumbent must maintain high degree of confidentiality and discretion regarding this and affiliated departments’ efforts and the rights and privacy of the public.

**EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE**
- High school graduate or GED equivalent.
- Upon employment, incumbent must receive and maintain CPR certification, IDACS certification, and national emergency medical dispatch certification.

**KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES**
- Must be computer literate
- Basic knowledge of working with windows based programs.
- Basic knowledge of working with office machines.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent telephone etiquette.
- Map reading capability.
- Ability to work as a team.
- Required to participate in and pass all levels of probationary training.
- Basic knowledge of radio equipment operation.
- Basic knowledge of FCC regulations and laws as they relate to broadcasting and transmitter operations.
- Ability to learn and utilize police codes and signals and fire and EMS terminology.
- Ability to memorize and retain information, both long and short term, and random and sequential.
- Ability to provide emergency medical telephone instruction utilizing precise formats.
- Typing / keyboard skills. Must demonstrate ability to type 45 words per minute with 95% accuracy using standard computerized and audio tests, and must demonstrate efficient audio-motor typing and entry skills from spontaneous supply of information.
- Computer skills: Must have basic computer knowledge in Windows environment. Must demonstrate ability to compose communiqués quickly, and accurately enter data upon input for radio transmission.
- Multitasking skills: Must demonstrate ability to concentrate, maintain computer and thought process, use of short-term memory, and accurately respond to various sources of input and incidents occurring simultaneously.
- Map-reading/