City of Colonial Heights
Job Title: Communications Officer
Position Type: Full-time
Hiring Range: $45,212 (Prior experience may be considered for final candidates)
** Application Deadline: Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST**
The City of Colonial Heights is currently recruiting for highly responsible, technical, dispatching position in the Emergency Communications Center of the Fire & EMS Department. Qualified applicants must be able to make quick, independent decisions, to handle simultaneous tasks under pressure, to learn the geography and street systems of the City of Colonial Heights and neighboring jurisdictions, to speak distinctly on the telephone and radio and be able to accurately enter orally supplied information into a computer are important in this job.
- Must be available to work 12-hour shifts, including days, nights, weekends, holidays, on-call, and required overtime.
- Must successfully complete all state mandated certification classes within allotted time.
- Applicants with DCJS Basic Dispatch and VCIN/NCIC Level A certifications with experience in computer-aided dispatch system and enhanced 911 is desirable.
Examples of Duties:
- Serves as primary point of contact for reporting all 9-1-1 emergencies along with all non-emergency calls in the City of Colonial Heights.
- Represents the City and Department in a professional manner and with a high level of customer service.
- Provides information or directions to callers, police, fire & rescue/EMS and other public safety agencies, adhering to CHECC, Police, Sheriff, Fire & Rescue department policies and procedures governing the dissemination of information.
- Operates a sophisticated work station comprised of multiple computer systems including 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency telephone system, geographical mapping tools (GIS and aerial photography), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), and other repositories of critical information, etc. to answer, triage and process incoming emergency and non-emergency calls for service from the general public or other public safety agencies for the protection of life and property.
- During a life-threatening emergency, establishes communications with the caller, provide safety/life-saving instructions, and maintains control of the conversation until units arrive on the scene.
- Interacts with callers who may be injured, distressed, distraught and/or emotional, and also public safety field personnel on the telephone and radio to accurately communicate information and instructions in all situations.
- Gathers, classifies, and supplements pertinent information obtained from the caller and enters it into the CAD system, consistent with appropriate protocols.
- Establishes communications with hearing impaired callers through the TTY application of the telephone system.
- Enter and update information in statewide and national databases and review for completeness and accuracy.
- Performs clerical duties; and other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Possess a high school diploma or equivalent with at least 3 years of experience.
- Be a US citizen.
- Have no felony convictions.
- Type 40 wpm.
- Be able to speak clearly.
- Have the ability to hear and make quick decisions while working in highly stressful situations.
- Must possess or obtain VCIN/NCIC Level A certification and maintain certification throughout employment.
- Must possess or obtain Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) and CPR/AED certifications, and maintain certifications throughout employment.
- Must be available to work 12-hour shifts, which includes any combination of days, nights, weekends, holidays, on-call, and required overtime.
Employee Benefits
Health Insurance - Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, & Blue Vision (3-in-1 Package).
Retirement - Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
- All full-time employees are enrolled into VRS when they being work and retirement contributions are made by both the City and the employee to receive a lifetime benefit at Retirement.
- Basic Group Life Insurance & Optional Group Life Insurance Program.
Supplemental Retirement - Mission Square Retirement
- All full-time employees are eligible to enroll into a 457 Deferred Compensation Plan or Vantagepoint Roth IRA.
Voluntary Benefits - Pierce Group Benefits
- All full-time employees may enroll in Additional Life Ins., Disability, Accident, FSA, & More (Colonial Life).
Other Benefits:
- Paid sick & vacation leave
- 14 paid holidays per year
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Education Benefits through Liberty University
The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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