About The Position

The Riverside County Fire Department is seeking candidates for the Fire Communications Dispatcher positions in Perris. Dispatchers receive emergency 9-1-1 and non-emergency requests for service from the public and other agencies. Incumbents will operate and control radio dispatching equipment, and dispatch to appropriate County, allied agencies, and other emergency units. Emergency call-taking and dispatching is fast-paced and can be high-stress. The ideal candidate will thrive under pressure, be an expert multi-tasker, and possess strong typing and data entry skills. The Emergency Command Center is a 365 day and 24/7 operation. Selected candidates will be expected to work weekends, holidays, and graveyard and/or swing shift hours. Additionally, unforeseen emergency incidents may necessitate the need for overtime.

The Fire Communications Dispatcher I is a natural progression underfill for the Fire Communications Dispatcher II classification. Incumbents are eligible to promote to the Fire Communications Dispatcher II upon successful completion of their probationary period, which would include a satisfactory performance evaluation and any additional qualification requirements.

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Fire Department is one of California’s largest integrated, cooperative, regional fire protection organizations. The Department, a unique partnership between State of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the County of Riverside, serves 19 partner agencies and 1 community service district. The Department has five core values: Leadership, Competence, Integrity, Safety, and Customer Service.

Examples Of Essential Duties

Operate a variety of communications equipment including radio systems, enhanced 9-1-1, various telephone systems, telecommunications device for the deaf, recording equipment, and computer systems in accordance with Federal Communications Commission regulations, department policy, and standard operating procedures.
Receive emergency calls and obtain essential information to determine locale and assess urgency, provide instructions, and determine appropriate action to be taken.
Determine jurisdiction, notify other agencies as required and transfer calls to other agencies when appropriate; dispatch emergency equipment and personnel to various locations to respond to calls; ensure necessary coverage behind deployed assets.
Transmit information and orders to, and receive messages from County, agency/allied agency, and other emergency units, typing all radio transmissions received and sent.
Make inquiries to local, state and federal national computer systems to obtain information and data as needed.
Read and interpret maps to locate emergency incidents, determine jurisdiction, and locate the closest available units; may respond to an emergency in the field with communications equipment and set-up and operate such equipment.
Participate in call critiques, a variety of training courses, and/or certification sessions.

Minimum Qualifications

Fire Communications Dispatcher I

$30.29 - $41.48 Hourly

$5,249.50 - $7,189.00 Monthly

$62,994.00 - $86,268.00 Annually

Experience: One year involving a substantial amount of public contact, preferably in a public safety agency.

Fire Communications Dispatcher II

$33.16 - $45.41 Hourly

$5,748.25 - $7,871.92 Monthly

$68,979.00 - $94,463.00 Annually

Experience: One year in the operation of emergency radio dispatch equipment in a fire or civilian law enforcement agency.

Knowledge of: The functions, operations, rules, and regulations of the Fire Department; modern office practices and procedures including filing, recordkeeping and operating standard office equipment; proper English language usage and grammar; the codes, techniques, and procedures in dispatching and operating radio transmitters and receivers, telephones, teletype, teleprocessing equipment, and CAD equipment; Riverside County geography including the location of principle cities, highways, streets, and buildings; applicable regulations of the Federal Communications Commission.

Ability to: Learn the codes, techniques and procedures in dispatching emergency units; operate radio, telephone, Call Director, telecommunications device for the deaf equipment, multi-channel recorders, playback machines, alarm systems, CAD systems, and teleprocessing equipment; accomplish tasks in a controlled and competent manner while working in a stressful environment; follow oral and written directions quickly and accurately; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, law enforcement and fire personnel, and the public; complete assigned clerical tasks with accuracy and speed.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Testing Information

Candidates who are successful during the initial screening process will be required to complete our CritiCall exam.

Previously, our CritiCall exam was offered as an in-person proctored exam, but it is now being offered only as an un-proctored exam for candidates to complete at home. The CritiCall link will be emailed to all candidates within two weeks after the posting deadline. Please continue to check your email (inbox and spam folder) for an email from Test Genius.

We do not accept CritiCall scores from other agencies.

If you have previously tested with Riverside County Fire and have a current passing CritiCall score on file ( within the last 12 months), please email bmathis@rivco.org with the date you completed the exam.

Environmental Conditions

Fire Communications Dispatchers wear headsets to answer emergency and non-emergency calls while viewing multiple computer displays for the duration of their shift. Work is performed primarily in a seated position at ergonomic consoles. The dispatch center is at times a loud, fast-paced, and challenging environment to work in.

Other Requirements

Prior to employment, candidates must successfully complete all steps of the pre-employment process including a background investigation, psychological examination, and medical examination.

Minimally qualified candidates will be required to pass an un-proctored, computerized assessment to be considered for this position.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Brittney Mathis at bmathis@rivco.org or 951-955-5358.

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APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. The Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 is available here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com .

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

Fire Communications Dispatcher I/II - Perris

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