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Recruitment and Employment Testing Services for Public Safety
Job Information
BLOOMINGTON, CITY OF
115 E. Washington St., Suite 301
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 61701
3094342216
http://www.bloomingtonil.gov
Updated: April 12, 2024
Position Title: Public Safety Dispatcher
The City of Bloomington is building an eligibility list for the position of Public Safety Dispatcher. Candidates are required to complete the following to be considered for the position:
- NTN’s Ecomm National Exam
- Public Safety Self-Assessment
- Typing Test
- Ecomm National Computer Simulations (taken separately through your NTN account)
- Department application
You must submit an application on the City’s website in order to be considered.
Salary Information: $25.32 per hour
Benefit Information:
- Healthcare/Wellness
- Medical – choice between a lower deductible PPO, an HSA-compatible PPO, and an HMO
- All plans administered by BCBS
- A 73% employer subsidy is provided for employees and any covered dependent(s). Working spouse exclusion applies, however, to the Medical Plan
- Dental – PPO
- Administered by BCBS
- 50% employer subsidy provided for employee and any covered dependent(s)
- Vision – PPO
- Administered by VSP
- 50% employer subsidy provided for employee and any covered dependent(s)
- Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Extensive Wellness program, including an annual Health Club Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – for assistance with work, health & life topics such as overall well-being, relationship management, workplace challenges, addiction, child/elder care resources, legal advice, financial guidance, nutrition & physical health
Paid Time Off (PTO):
- Two weeks’ vacation, provided on your start date
- Three weeks at five years of service
- Four weeks at 11 years of service
- Five weeks at 20 years of service
- Two personal days are provided each year
- Opportunity to earn a Wellness Day each year
- One sick day earned each month, up to a maximum bank of 90 days
Retirement:
- Automatic enrollment in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF)
- Pension – benefit details can be found here
- Voluntary retirement options available:457 Account (similar to a 401k)
- Roth IRA
- Additional Voluntary After-Tax Contribution (VAC) plan via IMRF
City/County Information: City of Bloomington / McLean County
Home of Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan, and Heartland Community College. State Farm Insurance Headquarters, Country Insurance Headquarters, Rivian and Ferrero Rocher.
Population: 78,283
Job Requirements
Age: 18
Citizenship Required: Yes
High School Grad/GED: Yes
Ability to Read/Speak English: Yes
Necessary Certifications: Must be able to obtain and maintain the following licenses and certifications within a given time frame.
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Emergency Medical Dispatcher
- Illinois State Police, Full Access Certification, Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS)
- American Heart Association, CPR Certification
- International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Certifications:
- Emergency Telecommunicator Course (ETC)
- Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD)
- Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD)
- Emergency Police Dispatch (EPD)
Job Duties: This list may not include all tasks and/or knowledge that may be expected of the employee, nor does it cover all specific duties that may be required. Other duties may be assigned.
Using training and policies to screen requests for emergency services, answering them professionally, and recognizing if a call is received from telephone, text, video, or an automated data feed.
Using appropriate technology to communicate with callers.
Using knowledge of law enforcement, fire, and EMS protocols to prioritize and sequence calls promptly in limited time with limited or no supervision.
Demonstrating clear and effective communications with active listening, call control, judgment, respect, and empathy with callers that range from calm to panicked.
Providing pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions to those that are requiring assistance during high-stress situations, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), childbirth, hemorrhaging, active shooter, and entrapments.
Managing challenging callers using appropriate handling of distressed, autistic, hearing-impaired, elderly, angry, and foreign-language-speaking callers.
Providing direct counseling to suicidal persons, domestic violence victims, and children.
Ascertaining incident information by obtaining and verifying caller information and location, determining the nature of the incident and all available data, including but not limited to automated data, social media information, text messages, images, or video, and providing information to emergency services either verbally and/or digitally.
Using TDD and relay services to comply with standards for handling calls from hearing-impaired callers.
Utilizing language interpretation services and coordinating with mental health resources for appropriate contacts with callers with mental health or language barriers to receive help.
Using text-to-911 to communicate effectively with callers.
Interpreting caller location by using geographic knowledge, tools, and location tracking capabilities when available.
Interpreting automatic number and automatic location data provided by the emergency communications phone system and verifying data using mapping software for accuracy and reliability.
Maintaining communications during life-threatening emergencies, providing safety/lifesaving instructions, and maintaining control of the conversation until field units arrive on the scene.
Using available vehicular, bystander, and/or law enforcement information to protect the public at the scene and on-scene responders by identifying the need for advanced life support resources or specialized fire extraction equipment.
Utilizing training and reference resources when determining the nature and priority of emergency incidents that have live-streaming videos, graphic images, and text.
Using training and operational protocols to take appropriate action, such as relaying critical information, dispatching/initiating emergency response services, or referring callers to other agencies.
Documenting incident details quickly and accurately to establish incident urgency, categorizing the incident type, and obtaining the proper help for the caller.
Demonstrating clear, effective communications and active listening with public safety responders using appropriate terminology, codes, and signals.
Accurately relaying initial information for dispatch, reviewing the call for service details, and assuming incident command until first responders arrive.
Conduct health and safety status checks of responders and use other available technology to ensure on-scene responders’ safety.
Documenting thoroughly and accurately all incident activities while maintaining awareness of scene activities.
Operating emergency, administrative, and backup telephone and radio communications systems effectively.
Facilitating the transferring of calls to the appropriate resources and performing conference calls with entities, such as but not limited to poison control centers or helicopter dispatch.
Interpreting and understanding local and regional geography to quickly and accurately identify the location of the emergency to improve response times of field responders.
Operating a sophisticated workstation comprised of multiple computer systems, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) software and geographical information systems (GIS), state and federal clearinghouses, call handling including teletypewriter (TTY) and text-to-911 sessions, as well as communications systems such as radio dispatch consoles and recording systems.
Operating multiple systems and conversations simultaneously without mistake.
Notifying key personnel of critical incidents, using judgment to determine the need to contact other law enforcement and public safety agencies for additional information and resources as needed, or relaying information regarding incidents and situational awareness.
Activating mass community warning and notification software programs to inform the public of impending critical information related to such things as severe weather impacts, potential injury, or life-safety events.
Managing chain of custody for records and documentation used in court proceedings and legal discovery.
Maintaining a calm demeanor under chaotic and stressful circumstances, multiple conversations, and frequently noisy environments.
Completing training, certifications, and competencies as needed by actively seeking training, completing the training and certifications required for assigned PST positions, and completing continuing education and career development as necessary.
Following established agency policies and procedures, being aware of liability to the agency, and adhering to federal disclosure and privacy laws.
Using debriefing tools, stress management techniques, and critical incident response models to deal with mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.
Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
Work is performed in an emergency communications center. The work level can fluctuate from minimal to fast-paced and high volume. The employee deals with crisis situations that require them to quickly make major decisions involving people, resources, and property with frequently limited direction.
The PSD may be asked to work scheduled shifts at any time of the day, on weekends, and on holidays.
Must be able to cope in a safe manner with stressful situations, emotional callers, responders, and unprofessional contacts. Under unusual circumstances, the PSD may be required to perform duties at or near any emergency scene.
This position is designated as essential and must report to work when other facilities are closed. It is subject to callbacks and holdovers to maintain minimum staffing 24/7.