Emergency Management: Communications Specialist 429933 Deadline to Apply: Applicants should submit by 11:59 pm on Wednesday February 19 2025 to be considered in the initial review. Position Open Until Filled. Work Location: Regional Emergency Operations Center 2000 Radcliff Drive Cincinnati OH 45204 Salary: Grade 14 $47000 plus on call duty officer stipend after completion of training) Work Hours: 80 hours/biweekly Join Our Team! Hamilton County (OH) Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency (EMHSA) has an entrylevel opening for the Communications Specialist. We are seeking a dedicated professional and problem solver who will grow in the emergency management field by learning how emergency management functions at the county level and will develop generalized skills that will enable them to serve in a variety of capacities in the emergency management profession. Hamilton County EMHSA is a progressive countylevel Emergency Management Agency operating in Cincinnati OH that focuses on allhazards emergency management for a diverse county with urban suburban and rural populations. In addition to salary a stipend is also provided for each weekly oncall rotation served throughout the year. Applicable professional development is also supported and funded by the Agency after probationary period. Professional development opportunities are based on Agency availability and may include applicable certifications (e.g. OCEM and CEM) pertinent trainings and conferences(local state and federal including the Emergency Management Institute) and involvement in emergency management associations and programs (e.g. IAEM EMAO EMAP). Alerting and warning the public as well as keeping residents informed during a disaster is vital. As part of the Operations Division the individual selected for this position will enhance our operational readiness by serving as the technical expert on emergency public information for the Agency and managing our mass emergency notification system for Hamilton County OH. Part of this system is maintaining the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) capability. The individual will coordinate the Countys Joint information system preparedness efforts lead the Countys Emergency Public Information Workgroup and support Agency public information officer responsibilities. This individual will also maintain the Agencys website. Duties for this Position: Manage the Countys Emergency Mass Notification System including maintaining the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) capability: Serve as the subject matter expert on the Countys mass notification system and IPAWS capability. Manage administrative settings including but not limited to overall system settings user roles and permissions etc. Have an indepth understanding of the systems capabilities. Update and develop needed procedures. Educate and exercise other County personnel and applicable external partners on how to utilize the system. Develop and update messaging templates. Perform scheduled maintenance including updating landline contact information and reviewing system templates. As identified coordinate with the vendor to address identified issues. Answer questions from partners and the public about the emergency public notification systems including the emergency mass notification system IPAWS and the outdoor warning sirens. Coordinate the Countys Joint Information System (JIS): Lead the Countys Public Information Officer Workgroup by facilitating regular engagement with public information officers and applicable public communications personnel. Update and maintain procedural documents for the JIS such as the Joint Information Center Guide and support the development of applicable plans. Support the development of applicable trainings and exercises to enhance JIS capabilities. Establish and maintain positive working relationships with media personnel and federal state regional and local partners. Support Agency Public Information Officer Responsibilities: Assist with developing and disseminating public information for both emergency and nonemergency related messaging. Manage the Hamilton County Emergency Management social media platforms. As directed prepare written communications such as press releases for the agency and coordinate with media personnel. Serve as a spokesperson including performing media interviews as applicable once training is completed. Maintain Agency Website: Regularly review and update website content based on needs of the Agency. Provide technical advisement on administrative needs for the website. Guide any development changes of the website. Advise on current emergency notification and communication key practices and emerging technologies: Be informed of updates to emergency public notification systems and technologies. Stay apprised of current and recent disasters and applicable lessons learned related to communication. Participate in applicable alert and warning and public information officer workgroups conferences webinars and the like. Make recommendations for program enhancement. Assist in maintaining the Outdoor Warning Siren System: Support the Resource Management Coordinator with maintaining awareness of outdoor warning siren system status documenting issues coordinating repairs and other related activities. Support Agency Operational Readiness: Support other initiatives that ensure operational readiness of the Agency including the development of needed procedures training staff drilling on equipment and addressing identified gaps. Participate in activations of the County EOC: Participate in activations of the County EOC. Learn and fulfill multiple roles in the EOC and support other members of the EOC team in completing their duties during an EOC activation. Serve On Call: Monitor the county for potential hazards and support local and county incident management on behalf of the Agency. Participation in On Call duty officer rotation as required. On call rotation is required of the position. Other duties as requested Regular and reliable attendance during regular scheduled days and work hours
Requirements (Education Experience Licensure Certification): Bachelors degree in relevant field (Emergency Management; Public Administration Public Health Communications; etc. One 1 year of experience in job related area or successful completion of an internship OR equivalent combinations of college education and experience such as an associates degree in relevant field AND three 3 years of experience in a related job OR Fifty 50 percent completion of a bachelors degree AND three 3 years of experience in a related job Completion of ICS FEMA Professional Development Series within one year ICS 300 and ICS 400 within one year Basic Public Information Officer within one year Advanced Public Information Officer within three years A valid Drivers License is required from state of current residency (OH KY IN).
Working Conditions: Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job the employee must be able to stand; walk; sit; use of hands to finger handle or feel objects tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee must have the ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities include ability to distinguish the nature of objects by using the eye.
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Unclear Seniority