Imagine a job where what you do makes a difference every day, as you help people and help save lives. 

Quick-thinking is a must during potentially life-saving scenarios. It takes an impressive amount of mental clarity, dexterity, and focus to do this job.

If you are passionate about serving your community and playing a unique and vital role in ensuring safe communities, this just may be the job for you!

Who we are

As the FIRST, first responder, 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Specialists serve as the critical link between the public and the emergency help they require. We are the lifeline between people the help they need.

Emergency Communications Specialists often have to talk people through difficult scary situations and are able to remain calm even in the most dire of situations.

Fire/EMS and law enforcement rely on us to ensure they have all the relevant and timely information to keep themselves and the public safe.

What we do

As an Emergency Communications Specialist, your role is to quickly prioritize and accurately process information to ensure public safety.

An Emergency Communications Specialist has two primary roles:

• Call Taking: Answering incoming calls from public. 
• Dispatching: Directing resources to respond to a specific location or event.

Call Takers receive and process all emergency and non-emergency calls for service from the public. They are trained to accurately instruct the caller as to what they should do in any given situation. They must quickly and accurately obtain all the required information so an appropriate level of response can be provided as effectively as possible.

A Call Taker is responsible for obtaining all relevant information as soon as possible from the caller, such as:

• Where is it happening?
• What is happening?
• When did it occur?
• Who is involved?
• Are there weapons?
• What is the subject's description?
• What direction are they going?
• Is the person on foot or in a car?
• What is the vehicle description?

Above all, a Call Taker is the voice of calm help and reassurance to the person on the other end of the phone. They are the first person we call in an emergency.

Dispatchers function as coordinators - directing the right resources to the right place at the right time all while adapting to an ever-changing situation. .

Law Enforcement and Fire/EMS depend on Dispatchers to ensure they have all the relevant, accurate and timely information to keep themselves and the public safe.

Call Taking and Dispatching are done in a unique, highly structured and collaborative work environment which includes:

• We are here to answer the call 24/7/365 working shifts during the day and night, including weekdays, weekends and holidays.
• Listening through headsets connected to public safety radio and telephone systems for long periods of time.
• Being prepared for every type of call.