EMT or Paramedic - Emergency Communications Specialist - LifeForce

Job Summary

The LIFE FORCE Emergency Communications Specialist at Erlanger facilitates Air Medical Flight Operations, Event Medicine and Special Operations Team Communications, Regional Medical Control and Coordination and Erlanger Emergency / Disaster Preparedness and Response Communications, both internally and externally. The position has variable shift assignments, including nights, weekends and holidays, and requires regularly scheduled on‑call shifts. It may include responding to off‑site incidents with the mobile communications center.

• Required:
  
  Graduate of an accredited Advanced EMT or EMT‑Paramedic training program.
• Preferred:
  Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certificate, APCO Certified Public Safety Telecommunicator, Associate or Bachelor’s Degree.

• Required:
  
  Minimum of two (2) years public safety field experience or two (2) years emergency communications center or emergency operations center experience.
• Experience must reflect general knowledge in pre‑hospital EMS practice and skills or pre‑hospital incident command system operations and management, knowledge of current trends and new developments, principles and practices of emergency communications and pre‑hospital medicine.
• Preferred:
  Call Center, 911 Center and/or air medical communications experience.
• Supervisory experience in EMS or other public safety discipline; experience with computer‑aided dispatch programs, automatic vehicle location tracking systems, electronic patient care record systems or electronic health record systems; experience working in a hospital emergency department or other healthcare outpatient setting.

• Required:
  
  Current licensure to practice as an Advanced EMT or EMT‑Paramedic in Tennessee; current BLS certification;
  Certified Flight Communicator certification within 1 yr of employment; FEMA ICS courses (ICS‑100, ICS‑200, ICS‑700, ICS‑800) within 60 days of employment; valid driver’s license.
• Preferred:
  Nationally registered AEMT or EMT‑P; ITLS or PHTLS; PALS or PEPP and ACLS; FEMA ICS courses (ICS‑300, ICS‑400); FEMA Communications Unit Leader (COML) certification.

Must have a working knowledge and operational understanding of guidelines and procedures for coordinating local and regional emergency medical service responses and radio traffic. Accurately develop flight and communications plans for air medical transport, utilize mapping resources for landing zones, create dispatch records, implement interoperable communications plans, maintain federal, state, local, Med‑Trans and EHS records, and act as FAR Part 135 Operator’s designated Flight Follower.

• Track airborne aircraft using automated tracking services.
• Maintain safe and effective operations of the Erlanger heliport (0TN8). Coordinate take‑off and landing information and manage communications with heliports and helipads.
• Establish and maintain communications with law enforcement, government and private drone operators; track authorized and unauthorized UAS within Class C airspace.
• Provide radio and telecommunications assistance appropriate for patient ages.
• Facilitate medical control physicians and pre‑hospital providers communications to ensure continuity of care.
• Act as liaison with Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Emergency Medical Services for mass casualty incidents and disaster assistance.
• Coordinate resources for mass casualty incidents or disasters, including mutual aid procurement and staging.
• Manage high‑volume communications during MCI events and internal EHS disasters with the EHS Corporate Safety Officer, Emergency Managers, EHS Command Center and Regional Emergency Operations Centers.

Additional duties include assignment to the field division as needed, preceptor responsibilities for new employees or flight crews, adherence to departmental and EHS uniform and appearance policies, representation of LIFE FORCE while in uniform, and other duties as assigned by the EROC Supervisor or Emergency Communications Manager.