The City of Richmond Department of Emergency Communications is currently seeking qualified and dedicated candidates to fill several entry-level and experienced 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Officer positions. This role is a critical and integral part of accomplishing the public safety mission for the City of Richmond!

Emergency Communications Officers work in a fast-paced, high call volume 9-1-1 operations center. We are seeking candidates who have the ability to multi-task, maintain an efficient and calm demeanor in handling stressful situations, and follow city, state, and federal policies. The 9-1-1 center is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Available work schedules include twelve-hour day or overnight shifts, which include weekends and holidays.

This position is part of the City of Richmond’s broadband program that provides career progression through acquiring experience and specific skill sets. As an essential position, the selected candidate must report to work for emergency and on-call duty in response to inclement weather/natural disasters. This role also requires working overtime, including weekends, nights, and holidays as necessary.

Duties Include:

Receiving and prioritizing all incoming calls and texts to the 9-1-1 Operations Center (emergency and non-emergency) while entering information into the computer-aided dispatch system.
Dispatching and coordinating public safety responses, ranging from routine to critical, and monitoring multiple radio frequencies.
Relaying emergency and non-emergency information to public safety personnel in the field.
Performing data entry, word processing, and related duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Special Certifications, and Licenses

Minimum Training and Experience:

High School Diploma or GED
As assigned, a minimum of one year of communications or dispatch experience or two years of related experience
An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.

Preferred Qualifications:

At least one year of experience in a fast-paced customer service environment.
Strong verbal and written communication and listening skills.
At least one (1) year of experience in a 9-1-1 environment.
Two-way radio and/or communications experience.

Licensing, Certifications, and/or Other Special Requirements:

Must pass an initial skills assessment and, as assigned, be VCIN/NCIC certified.
Must pass a critical skills examination and a suitability assessment.
Must pass an extensive background investigation, including local, state, and federal criminal history checks, medical screening, psychological evaluation, and polygraph examination.

The emergency center is open and staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As assigned, incumbents must be available to work:

Day, evening, or midnight shifts.
Up to a 12-hour regular shift.
Weekdays and weekends.
Holidays.
Mandatory overtime.

Incumbents are considered essential personnel and must be available to report to work during inclement weather, disasters, and emergencies. As part of a Uniformed Operation, employees must wear the appropriate uniforms.

Special Requirements:

Employees must successfully complete all state-mandated certification programs, including but not limited to NCIC/VCIN certification and Department of Criminal Justice Service Telecommunications certification within Department-established time frames.
An applicant cannot have been convicted of any offenses that would disqualify them from being able to possess the Virginia Criminal Information Network or National Crime Information Center certification per the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy CJISD-ITS-DOC-08140-5.8.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Typical Knowledge:

Basic dispatch codes, standard abbreviations, and industry terminology commonly used by emergency medical services, fire departments, and law enforcement agencies.
Safety and security.
Data entry.
Department policies and procedures related to emergency communications, disasters, special responses, etc.
Electronic databases and related software applications such as CentraCom, Open Fox, RMS, Live Mum, Virginia Criminal Information Network, National Crime Information Center, etc.
Equipment types for fire and police radios.
Jurisdictional boundaries as well as thoroughfares, landmarks, public buildings, and waterways throughout Virginia.
Map reading.
Relevant rules, regulations, and procedures, including safety procedures such as CPR and First Aid.
Station locations for fire radio communications.
Various systems such as Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, Intrado 9-1-1 telephone system, telecommunication systems, etc.

Typical Skills:

Answering calls within ten (10) seconds.
Dispatching and coordinating public safety responses, including routine and critical calls, within the allotted timeframe for different priorities.
Using multiple pieces of equipment simultaneously, such as answering a phone and viewing six computer screens.
Conducting quality assurance for calls.
Communicating with various internal and external departments.
Creating monthly reports.
Developing and creating training programs.
Ensuring compliance with protocols and service standards.
Providing employee feedback and training recommendations.
Reading, writing, and/or translating Spanish, if applicable.
Relaying and retaining information.
Typing 85 words per minute (wpm).
Oral and written communication.

Typical Abilities:

Show empathy and compassion.
React quickly yet maintain a calm approach during stressful situations.
Follow standard procedures and established practices.
Multi-task effectively.