911 Emergency Communications Technician (Call Taker)

Position Description

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Why work at the Durham Emergency Communications Center? Click this link to find out more!

Hiring Range: $22.48 - $34.44 Hourly ($1.50 shift premium during the hours of 4:00 PM and 8:00 AM)

(Please note that salary range higher than the minimum will be based on prior 911 experience).

Work Day/Hours: Hours during classroom training will be from 8:00 - 5:00. Once classroom training is completed, team members will be assigned to 4 day work weeks with 12-hour shifts; shift will be EITHER 5:00 am to 5:00 pm OR 5:00 pm to 5:00 am. This coverage utilizes fixed shifts including nights, weekends and holidays. Shifts are determined by the needs of the agency.

The Durham Emergency Communications Center works to provide City and County residents the fastest, most-efficient emergency call response possible while ensuring the safety of our police, fire and emergency medical services responders. Our state-of-the art center was the first, and currently one of only three, in the nation to hold both emergency medical dispatch accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies and Project 33 agency training program certification from APCO International. We're constantly finding ways to improve the quality of assistance we provide to the community, knowing service is our one and only product. If innovating and serving in a fast-paced environment are for you, bring your talent and skills to Durham!

Are you looking for meaningful career in a fast paced, high energy environment? When you work as a 911 call taker, you'll be able to save lives without ever leaving your chair. Our dispatch center features state-of-the-art technology enabling you to be the difference between life and death when people call for help. Promotional opportunities including dispatch of Police, Fire and EMS are currently available.

If this sounds like an environment where you would thrive we would love for you to join our team!

• This is an entry level position into the Durham Emergency Communications Center. This position is expected to progress and be promoted to communications dispatch position.
• Work Days/Hours: Hours will vary. Call Takers are scheduled for 24 hour coverage. This coverage utilizes fixed shifts including nights, weekends and holidays. Shifts are determined by the needs of the agency.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Answer and process emergency and administrative phone calls.
• Follows scripted protocol questions, enters appropriate information for emergency responders and provides pre-arrival instructions. (Will connect with bilingual interpreter if necessary.)
• Simultaneously read scripted protocol questions while clearly and concisely typing the information received.
• Routes calls by categorizing incoming calls and directing them to the appropriate division.
• Creates service requests by analyzing incoming calls; creates requests; forwards requests; and follows up with other city departments on open requests.

• Emotional awareness to quickly and accurately transition between calls with imminent threat to life and/or property to calls of a more routine nature.
• The ability to professionally respond to caller needs, rather than actions, demonstrating proficiency in caller control when interacting with difficult callers.
• Proficiency in multi-tasking;
• Exceptional attention to detail;
• Creative problem solving;
• Excellent reading comprehension;
• Strong short term memory.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• High School/GED.
• Six months experience in a fast paced customer service environment.
• Certification in International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Police, Fire and EMS call taking protocols is required within 6 months of hire.*
• CPR Healthcare Provider Certification within 6 months of hire.*
• Pass Psychological Exam prior to hire.
• Requires learning one dispatch discipline (Fire/EMS or Police) within 18 months of employment
• This position is critical to emergency operations and will report to work in spite of or because of an emergency or disaster event.
• No Class B (or higher) misdemeanor conviction in the last ten (10) years (please see a list of Class B Convictions Here)
• No Felony Conviction
• Please note that for any selected candidate in an operational position they must meet requirements designated by NCOEMS, by following this link you can view an FAQ outlining those employment requirements https://info.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/EMS/faqcomp.htm#legalrec

• NOTE: Employee will be trained in International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Police, Fire and EMS call taking protocols and CPR Healthcare Provider. Certifications are paid for by the department and provided during assigned work hours.

Additional Preferred Skills

• Call Center experience.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

The Durham Emergency Communications Center (DECC) is committed to maintaining a workplace free from discrimination and harassment based on any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We expect every member of the DECC community to contribute to an inclusive environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

Employment decisions—such as hiring, compensation, training, performance evaluation, and termination—are made fairly and without bias. DECC provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees.

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service