The information herein is provided by the respective agency and is only as accurate and as up-to-date as the agency representative(s) update this information. PST is not responsible for the veracity of this data as it is provided directly from the agency. It is ultimately the applicant's responsibility to verify any information about the agency with the agency.
NORCOM 911 - Communications Officer/Dispatcher
Last updated on January 31, 2024
PST Partner Agency since January 29, 2014
Vacancies: 10
Community Information
NORCOM provides 911 services and police, fire and EMS dispatch for the northeast part of King County. Currently NORCOM provides service for over 700,000 community members, which include 14 fire departments and 8 police departments.
NORCOM’s service area ranges from urban environments to two of the busiest traveled mountain passes in the state. This gives NORCOM dispatchers a unique experience of the types of calls they handle and the experiences they have every single day. Dispatchers are the first of the first responders who help by providing assistance to those who do not know where else to turn. Handling emergencies, non-emergencies and referring callers to additional resources is the core function of NORCOM dispatchers.
What sets NORCOM apart is the positive and encouraging atmosphere. Tactical Dispatcher Devin Randall captured it best when she said, “We are a cohesive team, supporting one another through busy days and tough calls; many of them feel like family to me. I felt lost in my career path until I found NORCOM.”We are looking for hard working, servant minded individuals to join our team. If this resonates with you and you want to be on a team that makes a difference and supports one another then NORCOM may be a good fit for you.
Police Departments
Bellevue Police Department
Bothell Police Department
Clyde Hill Police Department
Kirkland Police Department
Lake Forest Park Police Department
Medina Police Department
Mercer Island Police Department
Normandy Park Police Department
Fire Departments
Bellevue Fire Department
Bothell Fire Department
Duvall Fire District 45
Eastside Fire & Rescue
Fall City Fire District 27
Kirkland Fire Department
Redmond Fire Department
Shoreline Fire Department
Skykomish Fire Department
Snoqualmie Fire Department
Snoqualmie Pass Fire & Rescue
Department Information
NORCOM is located in downtown Bellevue just off I405 in the City Hall building.
Job Description
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
Reporting
to the Team Supervisor, must be able to respond to requests for emergency and
non-emergency police, fire and medical services. Incumbents must develop a
rapid and accurate sense of call interpretation and decision-making/problem
solving skills during stressful situations, processing multiple calls
simultaneously, establishing the priority status of the call and initiate a
sequence of time sensitive actions. Work is performed using state of the art
technology and within strict operational guidelines. All voice and data entry
work is continually recorded and is subject to live monitoring for later review
and critique and may include public disclosure of such work.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Answers
emergency and non-emergency calls for service and simultaneously enters
this information into the computer using a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
System
Ability
to type 35 words per minute while conversing with callers
Calms,
negotiates, advises and provides instructions to callers to obtain
accurate and essential information necessary to establish priority and
initiate a timely response to emergency calls
Dispatch
police, fire, and medic units as appropriate via radio transmissions;
anticipate problems and respond to units as necessary
Continually
updates information as it is received, enters in to computer and updates
units as to new information or instructions including follow up and
updated status of calls
Process
more than one call at a time
Assist
co-workers as necessary when available
Attend
shift meetings and/or debriefing before or after work as directed
Represents
the Center while participating in local, regional or state functions
related to public safety
Must
be reliable and dependable, reporting for work on a consistent and
punctual basis
Performs
additional duties as assigned
INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS:
Contacts are made both inside and
outside the organization. Internal contacts frequently include
telecommunications staff and less frequently, administrative staff. External
contacts include NORCOM customers and citizens. May serve as liaison between
the Center and one or more agencies to provide superior customer service to the
Center’s customers. Interactions tend to focus on information exchange and
receiving and giving directions. Contacts may include sensitive and/or
confidential information. 90% of external interactions are via the telephone or
electronically via e-mail.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, &
ABILITIES:
Knowledge of NORCOM service area
including streets and landmarks
Knowledge of map reading techniques,
including directions of travel and freeway access
Knowledge of Police, Fire and EMS
dispatching techniques, practices, and procedures
Knowledge of protocols, practices
and procedures of public safety emergency operations
Ability to condense and organize
large amounts of information into readable, sensibly typed remarks in a
timely manner and recall numerous acronyms and type codes essential to
efficient and accurate call processing
Ability to make timely and
appropriate decisions under emergent circumstances based on technical
standards, criteria and policies
Ability to remember numerous details
and quickly re-call essential information
Ability to consistently think
clearly and respond quickly in a wide variety of emergency situations
Ability to speak English clearly,
possess an excellent vocabulary and verbally communicate rapidly
Ability to deal effectively with
people in a multi-cultural society under extremely stressful situations
Ability to quickly perform multiple
time-sensitive tasks in response to visual and sound stimuli with a high
degree of accuracy
Maintain accurate records as
required
Maintain familiarity of Standard
Operating Procedures and other appropriate materials that provide
information regarding NORCOM’s operations and procedures
Ability to articulate in a clear,
concise manner, disseminating complete and accurate information in a
logical and timely basis both verbally and in writing
Ability to work under stress, be a
team player and establish good working relationships, and maintain
self-control under stressful circumstances
Ability to discern several
conversations simultaneously, disseminate appropriate information,
prioritize actions and respond in an effective manner
Ability to be available for shift
work encompassing a 24 hour day, seven-day week; inclusive of days,
evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays
Computer skills sufficient to
discern and solve routine problems
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
High school diploma or equivalent.
One year experience in the public safety field or successful completion of
a vocational dispatch course is beneficial.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATION and OTHER
REQUIREMENTS:
If utilizing a personal vehicle in
the performance of duties, must possess a valid Washington State Driver’s
License and the appropriate amount of automobile insurance.
Incumbent may be required to respond
to the needs of the Communication Center regardless of external weather or
other emergency factors and outside of regular work hours.
WORK
ENVIRONMENT:
Work is typically performed in the
communications room, with varying levels of light, confined environment
Disciplined environment with close
supervision; must carry out lawful orders regardless of personal agreement
May be subjected to excited,
abusive, foul-mouthed, incoherent, drunk, impaired or hysterical callers
Must be available to work shift work
encompassing 24 x 7 schedules including evenings, nights, weekends and
holidays
Must remain at the Center for the
full scheduled shift. Uninterrupted lunch and breaks are not guaranteed.
Lunch and breaks must be scheduled with the on-duty Supervisor
Due to the nature of public safety
work, overtime may be required
May be subject to ”call back” on
short notice and for extended periods and must be available by phone at
own expense
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Light lifting, carrying and pushing
objects weighing up to 15 pounds
Dexterity of hands and fingers to
operate standard office equipment, including a computer key board
Working at a desk for extended
periods of time (sitting or standing)
Ability to read and discern visual
images in a variety of media, to include small liquid crystal displays
offering very little brightness/darkness contrast, standard monochrome CRT
display screens, printed matter that has been reduced to less than normal
size type, multi-colored indicated lights which have differing flash rates
and color which indicates the status of electronic functions
Ability to respond to multiple
visual and sound stimuli with a high degree of accuracy in a timely manner
Adequate hearing and visual acuity
to successfully perform the essential job requirements
Ability to speak and comprehend
English coherently to exchange information in person and on the telephone
Must be free from physical
impairments that with or without accommodation would interrupt continuous
performance of a shift lasting from eight to twelve hours
·
Ability to work all
shifts 24/7/365
Area Information
County: King
Population: 738,000
# of Staff: 92
Hiring Status
NORCOM 911 - Communications Officer/Dispatcher has 10 vacancies.
NORCOM is continually accepting applications. If we are overstaffed, we will maintain an eligibility list and as soon as a vacancy is created, we will pull from that list. If you are interested in working at NORCOM, apply today! Hiring process can be located on our website www.norcom.org.
Salary Information
Salary range: $68,329 - $93,751
Lateral candidates will be brought in at the pay step
that reflects their total years of service as a fully released telecommunicator
throughout the entirety of their career.
Benefit Information
100% medical/dental/vision benefits for employees (80% of the cost paid for dependents)
Paid training
Over seven weeks of paid time off each year
4-10s schedule (gives you 3 days off a week to be with family and friends)
Participation in Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) visit www.drs.wa.gov for further information
Participation in Municipal Employees’ Benefit Trust (MEBT) visit www.mebt.org for further information
Score of 80% on the dispatch written exam required
Typing Test
Yes, required
The typing test is a critical component of your written test score and you are required to complete the online typing test within 90 days (before or after) your written exam. You will be allowed four (4) attempts at the typing test every seven (7) days and are responsible for selecting the score that you want PST to forward to the agencies you have applied with.
35 WPM with 90% accuracy required.
35 WPM; 90% Accuracy
Minimum Age
18 years old
US Citizen/Lawful Permanent Resident
Legally eligible to work in the United States.
High School Grad/ GED
High School level education.
Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult
No felony convictions as an adult.
Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile
No felony convictions.
Ability to Read & Write the English Language
Yes
Vision Requirements
Ability to read and discern visual images in a variety of media, to include small liquid crystal displays offering very little brightness/darkness contrast, standard monochrome CRT display screens, printed matter that has been reduced to less than normal size type, multi-colored indicated lights which have differing flash rates and color which indicates the status of electronic functions.
Multiple Scores from Same Applicant
We consider the highest score received within the past one year
The following are automatic and potential disqualifiers. Applicants should not apply to our agency if they indicate any of the automatic disqualifiers. Potential disqualifiers will be considered on a case by case basis.
Category
Disqualifier
Drug Usage
Potential
Use of marijuana within the last 12 months will be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis.
Automatic
Illegal use of any controlled substance while employed in a criminal justice capacity.
Automatic
Any illegal drug use or pattern of prescription drug abuse within three (3) years.
Automatic
Manufacture of controlled or illegal drugs within three (3) years.
Automatic
No illegal sale of ANY drug, including marijuana.
Criminal Activity
Automatic
Any adult felony conviction.
Automatic
Commission or conviction of an act of domestic violence as an adult.
Automatic
Any misdemeanor or felony conviction while employed in a criminal justice capacity.
Potential
Adult misdemeanor convictions will be carefully reviewed.
Employment
Automatic
Lied during any stage of the hiring process.
Automatic
Falsified application, personal history questionnaire, or any other forms during the hiring process.
Contact Information
NORCOM 911 - Communications Officer/Dispatcher
P.O. Box is 50911
Bellevue, WA 98115
King County 425-577-5684
TESTING IN WASHINGTON STATE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020
All pre-employment tests in Washington State have been canceled until May 31, 2020 unless government restrictions are eased. With recent updates, facility closures, and government guidelines, this step is necessary and could be modified at any time. The health and safety of our customers, our staff, and their families is of the highest priority.
We will continue to evaluate developments and make changes to this policy as necessary. When we do resume testing, there will be plenty of events for everyone to test. We are in regular communication with our public safety agency partners, assessing alternatives to the traditional testing model and our testing policies. Any future updates will be posted on the PST website and our Facebook page.
4/1/2020 Update:
If you have tested with PST in the past 12 months, there may be additional positions you are now eligible to add. Several departments have temporarily changed their testing policies due to the suspension in testing that COVID-19 has caused. Please login to your PST account and navigate to the ‘New Positions’ page to see what departments you can add! We will regularly update that page in your account as departments send updates.
FUTURE TEST REGISTRATION
We know that there will be testing in the future - we just don’t know when! We want you to be prepared for when testing begins again so we have created test events on our calendar that you can register for that will place you in a queue to be first notified. These tests are not “real” test events, they are essentially a holding area. You will be able to “reschedule” out of that event to any other event date/location at no cost. Registering now will also give you time to work on your Personal History Statement (PHS) so that your data will be ready and up-to-date to send to your departments once testing resumes.
To sign up for this placeholder event, select the June 15, 2020 test date in your category (police, fire, 911 dispatch, corrections, etc.).
You may also click on the test event of interest below to sign up:
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PST staff are working remotely and are available by email at contact@publicsafetytesting.com. We anticipate a high email volume and will respond as quickly as possible.