911 Dispatcher I (HELPS)

Job Title

This is a communications position in the Emergency Communications Department involving the use of a computer terminal, radio, and telephone equipment for the efficient relay of information and dispatch of personnel and equipment used in the protection of life and property.

Typical Work Activities

Sets priorities among incoming messages to determine which should be transmitted first; Keeps accurate status of exact location of equipment and personnel of mobile units by maintaining radio contact; Monitors radio frequencies, listens for important information, and transmits routine and emergency messages by radio or computer terminal to field units; Receives complaints, messages, or emergency calls by telephone, radio, or computer terminal; Assigns work activities to field units, especially in emergency situations or when changes from routine are required; Trains new employees (using on the job training) in tasks of same or lower level; Maintains logs either manually or on computer of radio and telephone communication; Retrieves information from reference books, files, maps, local, state, and national Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems to determine appropriate course of action or to obtain necessary information; Serves as Telecommunicator; Attends monthly staff meetings scheduled training as required; Notifies supervisor of need for repair service on equipment; Testifies in court as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or Equivalent OR Completion of the Public Safety Communications course of study offered by the Rochester City School District. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Must have satisfactory police record and background check including FBI fingerprinting. Must undergo a medical examination that will test, but will not be limited to: vision, hearing, speech, physical ability to sit for long periods, and must pass a psychological evaluation. New hires and re-hires must pass a drug test.

Exam Information

Applications may be obtained from room 103A City Hall, 30 Church St., Rochester, NY 14614-1280, or from our website A separate application must be completed for each separately numbered examination. Applications must be received by the close of business or postmarked by the Application Deadline date. Late applications will be rejected. Applications must be complete and accurate. Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day (Cross Filer): If you have applied to take a written examination announced by either one or several jurisdictions (county, town, city, or State) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the jurisdictions no later than two (2) weeks before the test date by filling out the Cross Filer Form and submitting it to each jurisdiction. The City of Rochester's Cross Filer form can be found at this link: Employment Forms | City of Rochester, New York. All examinations for positions in State government will be held at a State examination center. Alternate Testing Arrangements: If alternate examination date or special arrangements for testing are required, please contact the Civil Service at View phone number on click.appcast.io or email View email address on click.appcast.io. City of Rochester and Rochester Housing Authority employees are required to take the examination before returning to work, this includes teleworking. Change of Address: You are required to notify Civil Service of any address changes at View email address on click.appcast.io. Failure to do so may result in your removal from an eligible list. Admission to the Exam: If you have not received an Admission Letter or a notice of rejection by the Wednesday before the exam date, contact Civil Service either at View phone number on click.appcast.io or email View email address on click.appcast.io. Residency Requirements: There is no residency requirement for participation in examinations. Preference in hiring may be given to City of Rochester residents on open-competitive lists pursuant to Section 23 of the Civil Service Law. Military Candidates: Any candidate on active military duty in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard may be eligible for alternative testing dates if necessary. This applies to the State Militia and National Guard if under Federal Control. If alternate testing is necessary, candidates are required to notify Rochester Civil Service in writing, as quickly as possible. Any such requests must be accompanied by a DD214 or other official military document that substantiates the applicant's active military service at the time of the examination. Alternative testing accommodations will not be honored if requests are made more than 60 days after release from service. Veterans Credits: Effective 1/1/98, the State Constitution was amended to permit candidates currently in the armed forces to apply for and be conditionally granted veteran's credit in examinations. Any candidate who applies for such credit must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credit. No credit may be granted after the establishment of the list. It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide appropriate documentary proof indicating that the service was in time of war, as defined in Section 85 of Civil Service Law, and that the candidate received an honorable discharge or was released under honorable conditions in order to be certified at a score including veteran's credits. To apply for your Veterans' or Disabled Veterans' Credits you must submit an application which can be found at City Hall, 30 Church St., Rm. 103A or on-line at Employment Forms | City of Rochester, New York. Your Veterans' Credits application can be submitted with your exam application, but MUST BE SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ELIGIBLE LIST. Veterans' Credits CANNOT BE ADDED TO YOUR SCORE AFTER THE ELIGIBLE LIST HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. Veterans' Credits can only be added to a passing score. You may waive using your Veterans' Credits any time prior to appointment. You may use your Veterans' Credits for hire only once in your lifetime. Additional Exam Credits: In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established. Seniority Points: Seniority points shall be awarded based on the date of first permanent appointment in the classified service since last entry into the classified service of the employer for whom a promotional examination is administered (i.e. the City of Rochester or Rochester Housing Authority, as the case may be). Points will be added to the score of every passing candidate as follows: at least 2 years but less than 7 = 1 point at least 7 years but less than 11 = 2 points at least 11 years but less than 16 = 3 points 16 years or more = 4 points Eligible Lists: Eligible lists contain the names of applicants who have received a passing score of 70 or above on the examination. Lists will be established in rank order, with the highest score being #1. In the case of tied scores, all persons at that score are considered equal. Candidates must be one of the top three candidates to be reachable for appointment. Promotional eligible lists are limited to present employees of the City and take precedence over open-competitive lists. All eligible lists are established for at least one year and may be extended for up to four years. Preferred List Applicants: Any employee whose name appears on a preferred list, and who submits an application by the deadline, may participate in a promotion examination, if qualified at time of layoff.