Job Description

Director of the Department of Emergency Response

Tompkins County NY

Department: Department of Emergency Response

Classification: Non-competitive

Labor Grade: Management Grade 88

Tompkins County is Committed to Equity and Inclusion.

 We encourage those with similar values to apply.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(a) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four year college or university with a Bachelors Degree

in Business Management, Public or Business Administration, Communications, Telecommunications, Communications

Technology, Information Technology, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, or a closely related field AND four years of full-time

paid (or the equivalent part-time and/or volunteer) experience in a public safety or emergency response department/agency, two

years of which must have been in a position involving public safety supervision and/or supervision of dispatchers receiving calls

for assistance; OR

(b) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered two year college with an Associates Degree Business

Administration, Communications, Telecommunications, Communications Technology, Information Technology, Computer

Science, Criminal Justice, or a closely related field AND six years of full-time paid (or the equivalent part-time and/or volunteer)

experience in a public safety or emergency response department/agency, two years of which must have been in a position

involving public safety supervision and/or supervision of dispatchers receiving calls for assistance; OR

(c) Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma AND ten years of full-time paid (or the

equivalent part-time and/or volunteer) experience in a public safety or emergency response department/agency, two years of

which must have involved public safety supervision and/or supervision of dispatchers receiving calls for assistance; OR

(d) Any combination of training and experience equal to or greater than that described in (a), (b), and (c) above.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position is considered to be a public officer. Pursuant to Article 3 of the NYS Public Officers law, the holder of this position must be a United States citizen.
• The candidate must possess a valid New York State driver’s license within 30 days of appointment and maintain such license for the duration of employment.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The Director of the Department of Emergency Response is responsible for the efficient administration and operational integrity of all aspects of a 24 hour per day, seven-day per week, dispatch center and 911 communications system, including the interoperable radio communication system. The incumbent is responsible for and oversees the development of the County’s role in the County’s Emergency Management Plan and assists in the administration and continuing evaluation of emergency management services training programs, mutual aid plans and communication relative to various aspects of the provision of emergency services in Tompkins County. The Director shall review and coordinate all hiring, training, supervision, and evaluation of agency personnel. The Director shall be responsible for the direct supervision of the Deputy Director and Communications Center Manager. The Director is expected to maintain an effective working relationship with subordinates, police, fire and ambulance personnel, the news media and the general public. The Director of the Department of Emergency Response should maintain a high degree of technical knowledge and the expertise, competency and proficiency necessary to keep the emergency services program fully staffed and running efficiently. The incumbent works under the administrative oversight of the County Administrator. Supervision is exercised over the work of all subordinate personnel. The Director of the Department of Emergency Response will perform all related duties as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Coordinates and oversees the development and implementation of the physical and technical aspects of the Communications and Emergency Management structures and infrastructure;
• Provides technical hardware and software support for radio communication systems, CAD and records management software;
• Interacts with various advisory committees regarding the siting of towers and general operation of the communications center;
• Prepares information about the program for public dissemination and promotes and coordinates cooperation among user municipalities and service providers;
• Coordinates with the County Planning Department and various local government agencies to site communications towers;
• Assists in the resolution of conflicts and disputes arising out of the operation of the system or siting of various components;
• Works directly with service providers and outside vendors to implement the installation of towers and other relevant components of the emergency communications system;
• Coordinates local emergency response in planning, and maintaining the County Emergency Management Plan;
• Leads local emergency public awareness activities such as emergency planning and emergency drills including coordination of functional, tabletop or full-scale exercises, development of scenarios, objectives and critique;
• Coordinates the functions of departments which have an emergency status during natural or man-made emergencies;
• Responds to the scene of major emergencies in order to observe and assist emergency management and public safety personnel as required;
• Establishes a workable and practical emergency preparedness warning and information system capable of receiving warnings and disseminating information to key officials, emergency personnel and the public;
• Maintains the county inventory of equipment and materials required for emergency preparedness;
• Promotes emergency preparedness and other preventative activities through public speaking engagements, use of the media for public information, education and training;
• Manages funds received under various federal and state programs and other fiscal aid programs and maintains related records;
• Supervises and evaluates the proficiency of the communications center personnel;
• Mediates personnel problems if necessary;
• Prepares all personnel records for submission to the Human Resources Department and ensures the validity of time cards;
• Investigates and takes appropriate action with regard to complaints about the operation of communications center or its employees;
• Responsible for the preparation and monitoring of the disbursements of the department’s annual budget;
• Ensures the development and implementation of the department’s operational procedures and administrative policies;
• Responsible to ensures that a system failure and back-up plan to mitigate the effects of a total or partial system failure is in place;
• Administers agreements between Tompkins County and various hardware, software and service vendors for the
• installation and operation of the communications system;
• Keeps the County Legislature informed of all major problems or issues;
• Represents the County in the area of public safety communications;
• Attends job related training, seminars, etc., as appropriate or as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of emergency management services procedures;
• Thorough knowledge of the trends, developments, and current literature in the field of emergency management planning services;
• Thorough knowledge of performance and applications of modern emergency telecommunications equipment;
• Thorough knowledge of emergency telecommunications equipment interfacing methods and practices;
• Thorough knowledge of the use of software for computerized dispatching;
• Good knowledge of the telecommunications operating methods and the service provided by police, fire and EMS agencies and companies in the County;
• Good knowledge of the manner in which calls for emergency services are received and assistance dispatched;
• Good knowledge of the geography of the County;
• Good knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration as they relate to organizational planning, purchasing and budget preparation;
• Good knowledge of the principles and practices employed in the preparation of an Emergency Management Plan;
• Working knowledge of the uses and design of relational databases and;
• Working knowledge of public relations principles and techniques;
• Skill in the operation and minor maintenance of modern telecommunications equipment, including radio systems and computerized dispatching programs;
• Ability to plan, direct and supervise the work of subordinate employees;
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with a wide variety of individuals including government officials as well as emergency services providers;
• Ability to understand and interpret a wide variety of written material including complex technical manuals;
• Ability to plan and direct a program;
• Ability to prepare and present a variety of oral and written reports;
• Initiative, resourcefulness, tact, courtesy and good judgement are required;· The physical condition of the incumbent shall be commensurate with the demands of the position.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS:

Physical:

The employee must be able to sit for extended periods of time within a standard eight-hour work day. Other types of physical effort are minimal except for the occasional requirement to lift boxes of office supplies and paper goods up to twenty pounds. The incumbent’s visual acuity must be sufficient to enable him or her to see and accurately work with information on a computer screen or otherwise be able to accurately manage and manipulate information, using computer software and hardware systems, with or without reasonable accommodations. The employee’s ability to hear and communicate (verbal or written) must be adequate to enable them to understand and carry out detailed instructions. The employee must possess the knowledge and ability needed to utilize office equipment, including computer systems, inclusive of necessary software and operating systems, with or without reasonable accommodations. In respect to the physical demands of this position, there may moderate visual effort and repetitive hand/finger movements associated with the execution of the tasks delegated with this role. The employee must have the physical ability to manipulate a computer keyboard and other types of office equipment requiring moderate precision, manual dexterity, and operating knowledge/skill or otherwise demonstrate the ability to meet the requirements of the job. The risk of personal injury is minimal to moderate.

Mental:

Mental factors include the ability to multitask and prioritize. Mental focus and the ability to offer calm leadership during a crisis is required. The employee will need the aptitude to understand regulatory requirements within a dispatch operation. The employee must possess a solid intellect and a good memory. It is necessary for an employee to keep track of details. He or she must have the ability to concentrate and make logical and informed decisions. This work may involve considerable demands from tight deadlines, rush orders and/or frequent exposure to distressing human situations.

Environmental:

Environmental factors include the ability to work closely and cooperatively in close physical proximity with others. There is a considerable amount of travel and networking outside of the office environment. The work can occasionally result in moderate exposure to disagreeable outdoor conditions. The employee may occasionally work alone. A great majority of the work is performed indoors in a temperature-controlled environment, so excessive heat, cold, humidity, noise, etc., are not factors that are significant to this job.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 80,000 - 100,000.

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