Summary of Duties:
Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, the Fire Communicator answers emergency and non-emergency requests for assistance on 9-1-1 lines, from agency direct and partner emergency services and initiates calls for service for 12 fire departments in a coordinated manner and performs other related work as required and/or assigned.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provides outstanding customer service to all external and internal customers.
- Receives and processes all requests for emergency and non-emergency calls, complaints, and inquiries from the public.
- Determines nature and urgency of requests for service and prioritizes effectively.
- Dispatches fire and other public safety units, in accordance with established procedures, and based on the nature of the call, staff availability, and location of the incident.
- Operates a variety of communication equipment, including emergency radio system, computerized dispatch consoles (CAD) and keyboards, multi-line telephone equipment, and camera monitoring equipment.
- Retrieves information in response to requests from fire units, and monitors and maintains status and location of units.
- Contacts partner agencies to coordinate public safety and mutual aid/automatic aid operations.
- Maintains a daily report of fire alarm system status.
- Responsibilities include notification of the Community Control Group as part of activation of the City of St. Catharines Emergency Plan.
Position Requirements:
- Must have Grade 12 diploma or equivalent.
- Must possess current certification of CPR and Standard First Aid training.
- Exceptional oral communication and listening skills.
- Demonstrated multi-tasking ability.
- Experience and/or education required in public safety telecommunication fields, including Fire, Police and EMS Communications.
- Ability and commitment to learn and maintain advanced knowledge of the geography of the Niagara Region, Haldimand County and Norfolk County, including, but not limited to, major streets, highways, bodies of water and landmarks.
- Must possess and maintain a valid Ontario Driver’s License, minimum Class “G”.
- Ability to meet the physical demands of the position (e.g. repetitive arm/hand movement; intense visual and auditory concentration)
- Able to work rotating 12hour shifts including day/night shifts.
- Proficient computer skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite software programs with the ability to adapt to various software platforms.
- Candidates will undertake continuous skill and educational upgrading as soon as practicable as a requirement of the position including but not limited to: o APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator – most current edition o NFPA 1061 - Telecommunicator I and II Professional Qualification Standard
Annual Salary: $72,148.95 (January 1, 2023 rate)
THIS IS A TEMPORARY POSITION FOR APPROXIMATELY TWELVE (12) MONTHS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENSION
Applications will be accepted online at www.stcatharines.ca/jobs. Applications received any other way will not be accepted.
The City of St. Catharines is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes and work environments. We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please advise the Human Resources Division to ensure your accessibility needs are accommodated throughout this process.
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Salary: $72,148.95 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee assistance program
- Paid time off
Flexible Language Requirement:
Schedule:
Work Location: In person
