911 - Emergency Communications Officer

Emergency 911 Communications Dispatcher

General Nature of Work: The purpose of this classification is to receive and respond to incoming calls to the City's emergency 911 communication system and to dispatch emergency service and/or law enforcement personnel as appropriate.

Job Responsibilities: The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Receive calls on the City's emergency 911 system, including emergency calls, non-emergency calls, TDD calls, and language lines.
• For non-emergency calls, provides information, answer questions, take messages, and/or refer caller to appropriate staff; contact various other departments as needed to resolve problems.
• For emergency calls, obtain information from callers and determine the appropriate agency to respond; contact and dispatch appropriate agency; provide agency with information needed to respond and to ensure personnel/officer safety; work to keep caller calm; monitor status of response; and contact wrecker services and utility companies as needed.
• Log incoming calls and dispatch information into an automated system; enter information pertinent to incoming calls, dispatched agencies, response time and action taken; and maintain records of calls and dispatching activities; record all officer calls, dispatch time, arrival time and completion time; file required documentation, request and respond.
• Monitor a variety of radio frequencies; monitor weather radios; alert field personnel to weather conditions; monitor other frequencies to communicate with law enforcement, ambulance, fire and other emergency services providers; provide information to and/or obtain information from field personnel regarding emergencies, incident scenes, directions, and status.
• Perform computer background checks and handle inquiries on driver's licenses, vehicle tags, stolen articles and property, guns, wanted and missing persons, warrants and summons; provide various information from computer database as requested by officers.
• Perform various administrative support activities such as entering, updating and retrieving information from databases; enters law enforcement information into databases; maintain communication logs; query data bases upon request; research warrant information, driver's licenses and tags; submit information to appropriate staff; and perform system backups and reboots servers as needed.
• Communicate with supervisor, City employees, the public, law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel, outside agencies, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, resolve problems, or give/receive advice/direction.
• Prepare or complete various forms, reports, memos, spreadsheets, or other documents. Receive various forms, reports, weather advisories, incident reports, GCIC information, warrants, orders of protection, codes, ordinances, policies, procedures, manuals, reference materials, or other documentation; review, complete, process, forward or retain as appropriate.
• Maintain a comprehensive, current knowledge and awareness of applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures; maintain an awareness of new equipment, procedures, trends and advances in the profession; participate in continuing education activities; attend shift meetings, workshops and seminars as appropriate.
• Operate a GCIC terminal, a personal computer, and general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of emergency communications software, word processing, spreadsheet, database, or other system software. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Data Utilization: Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.
• Human Interaction: Requires the ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others in coordinating activities of a project, program, or designated area of responsibility.
• Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.
• Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. May include counting, recording of counts, and basic measuring.
• Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.
• Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

Requirements:

• Minimum Qualifications: High school diploma or GED equivalent; prefer Associates Degree with major coursework in business administration or related field; three years of increasingly responsible administrative/secretarial experience involving frequent public contact and/or combination of training and experience. Must have a valid State driver's license.
• ADA Requirements: Individuals applying for the posted position must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Physical Requirements: This position classifies the physical exertion requirements as sedentary work involving lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying articles like docket files, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally, and other sedentary criteria are met.
• Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

Benefits: The City of Kennesaw provides the following group benefits to eligible employees: comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance with HSA and FSA options (includes employer contribution to HSA plans); life and AD&D insurance for employee and dependent(s); employer paid short and long-term disability insurance for employee; accrued vacation and sick leave (with option to sell back); tuition reimbursement program (employer pays 70%); 12 paid holidays; 2 paid personal days; longevity pay bonuses (after every 5 years); 1% employer contribution on first 2% of employee contribution toward a 457 deferred compensation plan; 4% employee contribution toward a defined benefit pension plan (vested after 10 years); and wellness benefits.