** PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE BULLETIN **

It includes information regarding special requirements for this recruitment and steps you must take prior to submitting your application.

 

THIS IS A REOPENING OF AN EXISTING EXAMINATION.  The scores and dispositions of candidates for this examination will be merged with previous exam participants. If you are currently on the list and you choose to reapply you will forfeit your current rank and score. Your new score/disposition will replace your current score and rank. In order to reapply for this position, please contact the examination analyst at michi.yoshii@acgov.org to have your previous application released back to you. This list may be canceled at any time without notice to candidates. PLease contact human resources if you would like additional information. Applications must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing. Applications will only be accepted on-line.

Special Requirement: Typing Certificate

A typing certificate with a typing speed of 40 net words per minute from a temporary agency, employment agency, or community college, printed on letterhead with the address and phone number of the agency or college must be uploaded to your on-line application under the resume tab at the time you submit your application.  The typing certificate must be dated within six (6) months of receipt of your application. 

***It is your responsibility to ensure that your typing certificate is uploaded prior to submission of your application.  Failure to do so will result in disqualification.***  

To obtain a typing certificate, you may wish to contact the East Bay Works - Career Centers.  Click on the following link, go to the "find us"  tab to locate a center near you.  www.eastbayworks.com/

THE AGENCY

THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT (ACFD) provides all-risk emergency services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County (excluding Fairview), the cities of San Leandro, Dublin, Newark, Union City and Emeryville, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. With 4 Battalions, 30 Fire Stations, 26 Engine Companies, 7 Ladder Truck Companies and 1 Heavy Rescue serving a population of 394,000, the ACFD serves densely populated urban areas, waterways, industrialized centers, extensive urban interface, agricultural and wild land regions. Over 450 personnel and 100 Reserve Firefighters provide a wide variety of services to an ever expanding, dynamic and diverse community of roughly 508 square miles. These services include:

• Advanced Life Support Rescue
• Fire Suppression
• Hazardous Materials Response
• Urban Search & Rescue
• Water Rescue
• Community Outreach & Education
• Disaster Preparedness
• Fire Prevention and Code Compliance
• Regional Dispatch

ACFD is also responsible for the administration and operation of the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC). The dispatch center provides dispatch and communication center services for the ACFD, the Alameda County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Camp Parks RFTA, and the cities of Alameda, Fremont, Livermore and Pleasanton.

ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT'S MISSION:  To provide the highest level of service to our communities by valuing our members, promoting positive leadership, and dedicating ourselves to excellence.  For more information about the Alameda County Fire Department, please visit their website at http://www.acgov.org/fire. 

 

THE POSITION

 

Under general supervision, Fire Dispatchers receive requests for emergency assistance using a computer-aided dispatch system; incumbents dispatch appropriate public safety equipment and personnel; accurately document on-going emergency operations; and do related work as required at the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communication Center (ACRECC). 

 

This position is located in the ACRECC at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a federally secured Department of Energy (DOE) facility. This position requires candidates meet DOE security clearance.

 

Fire Dispatchers, within a framework of established procedures, are assigned full range of dispatching duties involving the use of a variety of communication and office equipment with only occasional instruction or assistance; incumbents may conduct ambulance dispatching which would include providing pre-arrival instruction to callers utilizing emergency medical dispatching (EMD) and medical priority dispatching systems (MPDS) in accordance with the methods of a sophisticated system status management plan. Assigned duties require the exercise of judgment or choice among possible actions. Incumbents of this class are required to work various shifts. This class reports to the Fire Dispatch Manager or Fire Dispatch Supervisor.

This class differs from the next higher class of Fire Dispatch Supervisor at ACRECC by the latter class having supervisory responsibility. This class differs from the next lower class, Dispatcher Trainee, by the latter class being an entry level classification. Fire Dispatchers may perform out of class as Fire Dispatch Supervisor, if needed.

 

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Receive and transmit via radio from mobile units of contracting agencies; maintain a computer log of these calls and their dispositions.
2. Answer and make emergency and non-emergency telephone calls from/to the general public, field personnel and other public safety agencies.
3. Coordinate emergency calls, relay messages, and dispatch equipment.
4. Using EMD and MPDS, ask key questions to callers in order to identify the type of emergency call, provide callers with pre-arrival instructions and dispatch priorities.
5. Quickly analyze unit status and implement move ups in accordance with the System Status Management Plan.
6. Operate various computer systems for access to local, State and Federal computer applications.
7. Disseminate information to Emergency Operation Centers, Department Operation Centers and Incident Commanders within the Fire Operational Area.
8. Complete and submit required documents for each specific type of incident with accuracy.

In order to be considered further for this opportunity, qualified candidates must meet one of the following patterns:

Either Pattern I

Experience:

The equivalent of one year of experience in the class of Fire Dispatcher Trainee in the ACRECC.

Or Pattern II

Experience:

The equivalent of one year dispatching experience (within the last 3 years) with a public safety agency or ambulance company.

and

Education:

Graduation from high school in the United States or possession of an acceptable equivalency certificate, such as the General Educational Development Certificate (State of California).

---

Further Requirements:

Typing: Ability to type 40 words per minute.

License:

All candidates must possess a valid California State Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

Special Requirements:

Candidates must pass a psychological evaluation, a medical examination and a thorough background evaluation after an offer of employment is made. A Computer Voice Stress Analyzer examination will also be included in the process to assess candidates’ responses in the areas of drug use, driving history, honesty, racial discrimination, and sexual harassment. Any felony conviction will result in disqualification. Candidates must be US citizens.


NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Standard radio protocols and call-taking procedures.
• Geographical area of Alameda County.
• Regulations and statutes applicable to public safety communications.


Ability to:

• Operate a two-way radio, and computer aided dispatch terminal.
• Dispatch public safety equipment in a quick and effective manner.
• Speak clearly and concisely in a well-modulated voice.
• React with sound judgment under stress and emergency situations while doing several tasks simultaneously. • Respond to the public with tact.
• Direct emergency vehicles using maps, local area knowledge and other tools that are available.
• Use word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Write in a clear, concise and legible manner.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

• Applications will be reviewed to determine those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications for the position.
• Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications for the position will be invited to take a performance examination which is the CritiCall test. CritiCall is a software that tests job-related knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies critical for public safety dispatchers. The following are some of the areas CritiCall will assess (please note, the following is just an example of areas CritiCall tests for and is not necessarily the components candidates will be tested on): reasoning, stress tolerance, decision making & judgment, multitasking, prioritization, map reading, memory recall, comprehension, probability, data entry and decision-making. For more information regarding the CritiCall test, applicants may visit their website at: http://criticall911.com/
• Candidates that pass the CritiCall performance examination will be referred to complete a background investigation process with the Fire Department.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION. 

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the "What You Need To Know" section of our website:  www.acgov.org/hrs.  

*** For benefit information, please contact the Alameda County Fire Department Administration - (925) 833-3473.

 

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.
Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Michi Yoshii, Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
(510) 272-6463
michi.yoshii@acgov.org           

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer