Emergency Communications Chief

The Job

CONFIRE, JPA is seeking an Emergency Communications Center Chief responsible for overseeing systemwide emergency communications readiness, coordinating major-incident support, ensuring compliance with operational standards, and supporting workforce and regional public safety system development across CONFIRE's Emergency Communications Center. This chief officer-level role exercises independent judgment in evaluating operational needs, aligning multi-agency requirements, coordinating readiness and integration initiatives, and maintaining comprehensive system documentation to ensure the ECC's operational effectiveness.

The Emergency Communications Center Chief works under the Communications Director and collaborates closely with public agency partners, the Medical Director, Compliance Analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure consistent, effective, and compliant regional emergency communications and incident-support operations, ensuring the ECC functions as an integrated regional command center supporting fire, EMS, ambulance deployment, incident coordination, and broader public safety system needs.

CONFIRE, JPA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) located in San Bernardino County, California, established to provide regional public safety communications, dispatch, computer information systems (IS), geographic information systems (GIS), and emergency medical services in support of its member and partner agencies. The CONFIRE Communications Center's primary function is to provide 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year fire, EMS, rescue, and other public safety dispatch services to agencies throughout the region.

Beyond its direct dispatch responsibilities, the Communications Center also serves as the San Bernardino County (XBO) Operational Area dispatch center, coordinating fire, local government, law enforcement, and emergency medical resources during large-scale incidents. CONFIRE is also preparing to launch a countywide ambulance transport system that will further integrate emergency communications and EMS operations while enhancing regional service delivery.

Work Availability:
This position may be assigned to a standard administrative schedule or an approved shift-based schedule based on operational needs. The incumbent must be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to support Emergency Communications Center operations, system readiness, and regional public safety coordination. Incumbents must be able to report to CONFIRE facilities or other designated locations to address urgent communications or operational needs.

Emergency Response:
May be required to respond outside normal business hours to support emergency incidents, Continuity of Operations activities, system disruptions, major events, or other urgent operational demands. Duties may include coordinating incident-support activities, ensuring ECC readiness, documenting critical actions, and providing command-level guidance during high-pressure situations.

Travel:
Travel between CONFIRE facilities, member and partner agencies, and other operational locations may be required to support regional coordination and systemwide operational readiness. A valid California Driver License and proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained throughout employment.

Job Description:

Representation Unit:
Exempt

Under administrative direction of the Communications Director, the Emergency Communications Center Chief is a non-safety chief officer responsible for command-level operational oversight, command center readiness, systemwide performance accountability, incident-support coordination, and regional public safety integration for CONFIRE, JPA's Emergency Communications Center.

The Emergency Communications Center Chief leads the Emergency Communications Center as a regional public safety command center supporting 9-1-1 call processing, emergency dispatch, incident coordination, resource movement, operational communications, system monitoring, ambulance deployment coordination, emergency medical dispatch support, and regional public safety response coordination.

The position ensures that the Emergency Communications Center is prepared, staffed, equipped, coordinated, and operationally aligned to support routine operations, major incidents, disaster response, emergency activations, system disruptions, planned events, and periods of increased operational demand.

The incumbent provides chief officer-level oversight through subordinate managers and supervisors and works closely with fire agencies, Emergency Medical System (EMS) partners, law enforcement, hospitals, County departments, technology teams, and other public safety stakeholders to ensure the center operates as an integrated command center within the regional public safety system.

This is a non-safety classification; however, prior public safety operational experience is required due to the command, coordination, operational judgment, and incident-support responsibilities…