Public Safety Dispatcher

This critical role serves as the vital communications link between the public needing help and emergency services response. As first responders, public safety dispatchers (PSD) are typically the first point of contact when a person reaches out for help. This requires a candidate to be able to work independently in a high-stress environment while receiving and evaluating incoming emergency and administrative requests for emergency services, including but not limited to law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS);

triaging those requests for service; providing guidance and assistance to the public in life-safety situations; and coordinating appropriate responses to high-risk, high-stress operations, with the objective of keeping all participants safe.

This list may not include all tasks and/or knowledge which may be expected of the employee, nor does it cover all specific duties which may be required. Other duties may be assigned.

Using training and policies to screen requests for emergency services; answering them professionally, recognizing if a call is received from telephone, text, video, or an automated data feed.

Using appropriate technology to communicate with callers.

Using knowledge of law enforcement, fire, and EMS protocols to prioritize and sequence calls promptly in limited time with limited or no supervision.

Demonstrating clear and effective communications with active listening, call control, judgment, respect, and empathy with callers that range from calm to panicked.

Providing pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions to those that are requiring assistance during high-stress situations, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), childbirth, hemorrhaging, active-shooter, and entrapments.

Managing challenging callers using appropriate handling of distressed, autistic, hearing-impaired, elderly, angry, and foreign-language-speaking callers.

Providing direct counseling to suicidal persons, domestic violence victims, and children.

Ascertaining 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, social media information, text message, images or video, and providing information to emergency services either verbally and/or digitally.

Using TDD and relay services to comply with standards for handling calls from hearing-impaired callers.

Utilizing language interpretation services and coordinating with mental health resources for appropriate contacts with callers who have mental health or language barriers to receiving help.

Using text-to-911 to communicate effectively with callers.

Interpreting caller location by using geographic knowledge, tools, and location tracking capabilities when available.

Interpreting automatic number and automatic location data provided by the emergency communications phone system and verifying data using mapping software for accuracy and reliability.

Maintaining communications during life-threatening emergencies, providing safety/lifesaving instructions, and maintaining control of the conversation until field units arrive on scene.

Using available vehicular, bystander, and/or law enforcement information for the purpose of protecting the public at the scene as well as on-scene responders by identifying the need for advanced life support resources or specialized fire extraction equipment.

Utilizing training and reference resources when determining the nature and priority of emergency incidents that have live-streaming videos, graphic images, and text.

Using training and operational protocols to take appropriate action such as: relaying critical information, dispatching/initiating emergency response services, or referring callers to other agencies.

Documenting incident details quickly and accurately to establish incident urgency, categorizing the incident type and obtaining the proper help for the caller.

Demonstrating clear and effective communications and active listening with public safety responders using appropriate terminology, codes, and signals.

Relaying initial information for dispatch accurately, reviewing the call…