Career Opportunities

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Current Position Openings

The Department of Emergency Services (DES) has Career Opportunities in all areas of the department including 9-1-1 Telecommunicator, Safety & Security Operator, and Hazardous Materials Responder just to name a few.  These opportunities, along with other positions as they become available, will be posted here.

9-1-1 Dispatcher (Telecommunicator I)                                      

A Telecommunicator I receives all emergency telephone calls for assistance from the public and verifies the incident location and information using established policies and procedures learned in the emergency communications academy. This position provides critical information to Police and Fire/EMS Dispatchers to ensure the appropriate help is dispatched to the incident scene. 


Duties, Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Handle and process emergency calls in a timely and professional manner
  • Input emergency calls for dispatch to the appropriate responders
  • Consistently monitoring radio messages and various computer screens
  • Maintain certification requirements
  • Assist with quality improvement programs
  • Provide emergency medical instructions
  • Assist with public education and responder education
  • Assist with Emergency Operations Center activations and drills, as needed
  • Perform other duties, tasks, and special projects, as assigned
9-1-1 Dispatcher Process Cropped

Criticall

The online pre-employment testing, known as Criticall, measures abilities in several areas:

  • Ability to make decisions quickly and accurately
  • Ability to read written data (e.g., name, telephone number, license plate sequence) and accurately enter that data using a keyboard
  • Ability to hear audible data (e.g., name, telephone number, license plate sequence) and accurately enter that data using a keyboard
  • Ability to hear, comprehend, and summarize audible information
  • Ability to use maps for determining routes and locations; no previous map-reading training is required for success
  • Ability to correctly spell words that sound similar, but are spelled differently and have different meanings

Paid Training

New hire training consists of 10 weeks of classroom education and simulation exercises.  Once completed, the Trainee will continue on-the-job training in the 9-1-1 Center with an experienced Certified Training Officer (CTO).


Salary Information

During the training phase, a Telecommunicator I is hired at $18.98 per hour, working a 40 hour work week.

Once the Telecommunicator has been released from training and assigned to a platoon, their shift schedule will take effect (see below), which includes an average of eight hours of overtime per week.  The average yearly earning potential for a Telecommunicator I on a platoon shift schedule can be $47,623.00 


Shift Rotation 

Telecommunicators rotate 12-hour shifts (7am - 7pm and 7pm - 7am).  These shifts consist of two dayshifts and two nightshifts with four days off between rotations. Telecommunicators work weekends, including holidays, during their rotations.

9-1-1 Platoon Sample Schedule
911 Criteria

Other Opportunities

  • Internship Opportunities
    • Could be as short as a few days or longer, pending on the interest of the student and the availability within the county.
  • Fields include:
    • Emergency Management
    • Safety & Security
    • Law Enforcement Services
    • Other options may be available pending availability such as the Fire Marshal's Office
  • We may be able to assist with connecting students to other internships at different facilities.
  • 9-1-1 Tours
    • Students would be able to tour our 9-1-1 center as well as receive a detailed overview from our 9-1-1 center employees.

Links

Questions?

Reach out to our Employment Coordinator, Valerie Peck at 610-344-5075 or [email protected].