Apply in person at Worcester County Government Center, 1 W Market Street, Room 1301, Snow Hill, MD or on-line at: https://jobs.worcestermd.gov
DEPARTMENT: EMERGENCY SERVICES
JOB TITLE: EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST TRAINEE
WORK LOCATION: GOVERNMENT CENTER IN SNOW HILL, MARYLAND
COMPENSATION AND WORK SCHEDULE: GRADE 14/STEP 1 $40,997 ANNUALLY/$19.71 HOURLY – DAYSHIFT 6:30AM TO 6:30PM ROTATING SCHEDULE*
GRADE 14SHIFT/STEP 1 $43,118 ANNUALLY/$20.73 HOURLY – NIGHTSHIFT 6:30PM TO 6:30AM ROTATING SCHEDULE*
INITIAL TRAINING PERIOD ON DAYSHIFT 8AM TO 4:30PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY. ONCE TRAINING COMPLETED, MOVE TO ROTATING SCHEDULE-
*ROTATING SCHEDULE = 2 DAYS ON, 2 DAYS OFF, 3 DAYS ON, 2 DAYS OFF, 2 DAYS ON, 3 DAY OFF, THEN REPEAT; SCHEDULE ROTATION WORKS EVERY OTHER WEEKEND
APPLICATION PERIOD: UNTIL FILLED
JOB SUMMARY: This individual is responsible for receiving all calls for emergency services, which includes radio and telephones, and reports to their immediate Shift Supervisor or Communications Manager, but is ultimately responsible to the Director of Emergency Services.
MARYLAND STATE RETIREMENT: This position will automatically participate in the Maryland State Retirement System. Membership is mandatory for employees that work over 500 budgeted hours in the fiscal year. As a member, 7% of your budgeted annual salary will be calculated, divided by 26 and deducted from your biweekly paycheck and sent to your account at Maryland State Retirement System.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Safety sensitive requiring drug and alcohol testing.
• Essential personnel subject to emergency call-back with little or no notice.
• Pre-qualifying test.
• Successfully pass pre-employment background check.
• Successfully pass pre-employment psychological testing.
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Using training and policies, receive and process requests for emergency services; answering them professionally, recognizing if a call is received from telephone, SMS/text, MMS/video, TTY/TTD, or an automated data feed from telematic sensors.
• Interpret sensor data, images, and verbally communicated information to triage, prioritize, and initiate the correct emergency response.
• Using knowledge of law enforcement, fire, and EMS protocols; prioritize and sequence calls promptly in limited time with limited or no supervision.
• Demonstrate clear and effective communications with internal and external customers inclusive of active listening, call control, judgement, respect, and empathy.
• Provide pre-arrival medical, fire and police instructions during high stress situations inclusive of CPR, childbirth, hemorrhaging, active shooter, and entrapments.
• Manage challenging callers using appropriate handline of distressed, autistic, hearing-impaired, elderly, angry, and foreign-language-speaking callers.
• Provide direct counseling to suicidal persons, domestic violence victims, and children.
• Ascertain 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, text, and multimedia messaging, and relaying that information to emergency responders verbally and digitally.
• Coordinate with language translation operators and crisis counselors on multi-party calls as needed.
• Make use of sensor data, maps, and GIS resources to ascertain the location of an emergency when a caller is not familiar with their surroundings or in an area lacking street addresses.
• Operate complex public safety technology systems inclusive of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Records Management Systems (RMS), Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS/NCIC), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), teletypewriter (TTY), computer-based call handling equipment (CHE), and complex computer based and hardware radio consoles.
• Notify key personnel of critical incidents, using judgement 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 for situational awareness.
• Activate mass community warning and notification systems to inform the public of impending critical information related to such things as severe weather impacts, potential injury, or life-safety events.
• Manage chain of custody for records and documentation used in court proceedings and legal discovery.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of procedures as outlined in the Standard Operation Procedures.
• Maintain certification in Miles, EMD, EPD and EFD along with CPR/AED training.
• Adhere to the Worcester County Government Personnel Rules & Regulations.
• Maintain security procedures for 911 Center, Administrative Offices & Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
• Complies with safety programs, procedures training, fire drills, COOP plans, etc.
• Ensures confidentiality of information and records and complies with record retention schedule
• Adheres to the Worcester County Government Personnel Rules & Regulations
• Perform other related duties as required by the Department Head, Shift & Communication Manager and Administrative Staff
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:
• Minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
• Must acquire the following certification within 18-months of employment: National Crime Information Center, Maryland Inter-Agency Law Enforcement System, National Academy Emergency Dispatch, Medical, Fire and Police Protocols, Emergency Telecommunicator, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and basic National Incident Management System training.
• Must be able to receive, retain and transfer information during extremely stressful situations.
• Must be computer literate and have good typing skills.
• Must be able to work shift work, weekends, and holidays.
• Knowledge of the geography of Worcester County.
• Familiar with office equipment, i.e. fax, copier, and personal computer.
• Computer skills including Microsoft products and word processing software.
• All applicants must successfully complete pre-hire testing prior to interview.
• Able to work with coworkers and the public professionally, respectfully, and harmoniously
• Criminal background check and fingerprints required at time of interview.
• Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions; keep records and logs; complete written forms; and to communicate effectively with the public and coworkers. Ability to apply acquired knowledge to increasingly varied and complex tasks and perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time, speak clearly and concisely and work under stressful situations
• Employees with this job title are designated as Emergency/Essential and may be required with little or no notice to work.
SAFETY ANALYSIS:
(Rarely (<5% of the time), Occasional (5-25% of the time), Frequent (25-75% of the time); Constant (<75% of the time) Sedentary work; Constant sitting, viewing; Frequent talking, hearing; Occasional pushing, pulling, carrying, lifting up to 10 lbs. Frequent exposure to stressful situations resulting from interacting with individuals in crisis situations.
Apply in person at Worcester County Government Center, 1 W Market Street, Room 1301, Snow Hill, MD or on-line at: https://jobs.worcestermd.gov