911 Communication Careers

 Now Hiring - 7/1/2022 open until filled
The Chouteau County Communications Center is recruiting career-minded individuals to join our team as a Public Safety Dispatcher, starting hourly wage is $17.00 an hour. Benefits included vacation, sick, retirement, life insurance, clothing allowance, and more. On-the-job training.
​In Montana there are about 51 certified PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points, or 911 Centers) all are staffed by professionals who are highly trained and skilled in emergency communications. 911 Dispatchers require excellent emergency communications skills and have the ability to work under severely stressful conditions. 
​It's the hardest career you'll ever love.

A General Statement of Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions

The Communications Center is open 24 hours a day, 7-days a week, 365-days a year, because of this all Dispatchers are required to rotate through all shifts, which are day, evening, and night (grave - overnight). All dispatchers work weekends, and holidays and overtime is a common and frequent occurrence and is a condition of employment.
Must be able to gather essential information from callers and dispatch the appropriate first responders to the scene, must be able to take control of situations that may be chaotic, heart-wrenching, stressful, confusing, and frenzied.
Must be organized, and adept at multi-tasking, MULTI-TASKING- this refers to the ability to manage multiple responsibilities at once by focusing on one task or two, maybe three, while keeping track of responders/deputies/officers, etc... in the workplace, this involves switching back and forth between tasks and effectively performing different tasks rapidly one right after the other.
Must be level-headed, and trustworthy, you will be working within emergency response services, often placing you in the middle of life or death situations, so requirements and training for these positions are often stringent, rigorous, and unwavering. You will be working with your community you must maintains the highest level of confidentiality.
911 call-takers/ dispatchers must respond to emergency and non-emergency calls for assistance and information. They must provide dispatch and communication support services for deputies, police, fire, emergency, and related services 24/7, 365 days a year. 
Operate a multi-line telephone console system, alerting system, and TDD system for the deaf and hearing-impaired
Translate information to the appropriate codes
Determine and assign the level of priority of the call and enter the data into a computer-aided dispatch system for radio dispatch purposes
Perform emergency medical dispatch and crisis intervention services
Ask vital questions and provide pre-arrival instructions for emergency medical calls
Monitor and operate a radio console and computer equipment
Receive and respond to a variety of emergency and non-emergency services and complaints
Ask questions to interpret, analyze and anticipate the caller’s situation to resolve problems, provide information, dispatch emergency services, or refer callers to other agencies
Dispatch and coordinate the responses of public safety agencies

Minimum Requirments 

The ability to use logic and reasoning to reach conclusions and approaches to problems
The ability to remain loyal to the agency and to the profession.
The ability to think of others and work with others as a Team.
The ability to use judgment and decision-making skills to evaluate situations, establish priorities, and resolve matters
The ability to think quickly
The ability to work under stressful situations
The ability actively listen and communicate effectively through clear speech and hearing
The ability to follow instructions
The ability to write clearly and spell correctly
The ability to establish priorities and pass on information as needed
Candidates must be at least 18 years older and must possess a high school diploma or GED, and possess a valid driver’s license. Employment in this position requires a successful criminal history background check.
Within one year of hire, the applicant must complete the Public Safety Communicator Basic course at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena and obtain credentials to access Criminal Justice Information Network in accordance with the Montana Department of Justice. You will also be required to obtain CPR Certification (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch - lifesaving instructions given to our callers to walk them through medical emergencies while waiting for responders) certification, and FEMA ( Federal Emergency Management Agency) qualifications.