DFPC Fire Dispatcher Northern Colorado

We are committed to providing public safety services to our fellow Coloradans in their times of greater needs such as: safety on our roads preparing and mitigating environmental disasters disaster recovery combating crime school safety and victim recovery.

Youll have the opportunity to challenge yourself and acquire new capabilities to build a rewarding and fulfilling career while making a difference in our community!

When you join CDPS you are joining a team of exceptional individuals and together you will be inspired motivated and supported to become the best you can be.

About the Work Unit

The mission of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is to serve and safeguard the people and protect the property resources environment and quality of life in Colorado. DFPCs vision is to be the Nations premier state fire organization by acting with foresight providing bold leadership enhancing our partnerships and exemplifying the highest level of professionalism in fire prevention and protection while building a safe and supportive work environment for our employees.

The Division achieves this mission and vision through its four (4) Sections: Center of Excellence Fire and Life Safety Professional Qualifications and Training and Wildland Fire Management. Each of the four sections serve Colorados fire community in a different capacity- from training firefighters to technological advancements in public safety responding to and managing wildfires to building code enforcement DFPC is dedicated to serving and safeguarding the people of Colorado while protecting property resources environment and quality of life.

About the Position

The primary purpose of Fire Dispatcher is to staff Interagency Dispatch Centers in Colorado assist with State Fire Coordination functions and assist with a range of programmatic functions in support of local county State and Federal fire agencies across Colorado. This position supports both short-term initial attack and long-duration extended attack incidents; statuses mobilizes and tracks fire department county State and Federal resources (aviation equipment incident management teams overhead services and supplies) for wildfire incidents; and coordinates within the national dispatch system to mobilize resources into and out of Colorado when needed.

This position also assists with mobilization of fire resources across the State of Colorado for all types of fire incidents (structure fire EMS etc.) as part of the Colorado Mutual Aid System (CMAS).

• The Fire Dispatcher is qualified and experienced in fire dispatching and provides dispatching capabilities in multiple functional areas including but not limited to: initial response dispatching extended response and expanded dispatch operations logistical incident support and aircraft dispatching. Manages tracks and dispatches: overhead and personnel incident management teams crews equipment services and supplies.
• Position coordinates with 911/Public Service Answering Points (PSAP) local Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) the State EOC and Interagency Dispatch system centers to facilitate movement of fire resources across the State 5-State Rocky Mountain Region and nation.
• Maintains situational awareness of the status and location of fire resources support capabilities current and forecasted weather conditions actual and predicted fire potential and status of active fire incidents.
• Performs or directs standard dispatching functions for ground-based and aviation resources including but not limited to: entering resources status into systems at the start and end of each shift; communicating with resources via radio or other methods to pass on assignment and/or incident needs; tracking resources throughout the day as they move between assignments and locations; providing periodic check-ins to resources; compiling requests from incident commanders and ordering additional resources as requested; and following emergency protocols in the event of accidents unaccounted for resources etc.
• Receives notifications and requests for potential/active fire incidents; compiles and verifies requesting agency/incident needs; determines if available resources meet incident needs and timeframes; contacts potential agencies to send resources and provides them with incident needs and requirements; then either processes or ensures other personnel process orders within established systems; and verifies resources arrive at incident.
• Performs and directs others in receiving fire reports the appropriate response to incidents and coordinates requests from the field. Independently plans and carries out the procedural and technical tasks involved in the dispatching of personnel equipment aircraft services and supplies to respond to and manage fire incidents. Resolves the full range of irregular or problem situations in anticipating resource needs for fire suppression activities. Makes recommendations regarding resource orders or anticipated orders.
• In situations with limited availability of fire resources:
  • Notifies Work Leads Supervisors and agency Duty Officers of the situation and makes recommendations for prioritization of incidents and/or for allocation of available resources between incidents.
  • Utilizes backup and alternate systems in an effort to locate additional resources.
• Coordinates aviation dispatch operations (aircraft capabilities and limitations flight planning aviation safety). Performs flight following and tracking for all federal state and interagency fire aircraft within the Dispatch Area and adjacent Dispatch areas. Facilitates aircraft tracking and dispatch through the use of radios and other technology.
  • Knowledge of aircraft (fixed wing and rotary wing) flight planning including but not limited to aircraft capabilities scheduling flights pilots and aircraft duty limitations ordering procedures flight following procurement and cost comparison analysis.
  • Knowledgeofaviationsafetyincludingincidentresponsesearchrescueandmedevacprocedures incident reporting procedures briefing and debriefing pilots chief of party and incident or accident notification.
  • Knowledge of airspace designations and notification procedures for airspace coordination (i.e. Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) hazards MSN1 Military Training Route (MTR) Military Operating Airspace (MOA)
• Provides dispatch support to other responses and incident types including search and rescue; medivac; floods avalanches tornados and other natural disasters; hazardous materials spills; vehicle accidents; missing/crashed aircraft; and other all-hazard incidents.
• Works daily with various dispatching tracking and mobilization systems including but not limited to: Incident Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) WildCADAutomated Flight Following (AFF) National Mutual Aid System (NMAS) WebEOC Colorado Wildfire Information Management System (COWIMS) Weather Information ManagementSystem(WIMS)NationalFireDangerRatingSystem(NFDRS)SIT-209andotherdispatchsystems as appropriate.
  • Must have a strong working knowledge of these systems in order to ensure resources can be tracked and mobilized quickly. Will also provide input to decision makers on database and software program issues and solutions as well as suggest and explore potential new programs operating guidelines solutions and procedures to improve overall program effectiveness and service.
• Reviews internal operating procedures and systems makes recommendations for improvement and updates/develops operating plans and mobilization guides.

• This position utilizes a variety of systems databases and software in preparation for and response to mobilization of fire-based resources to emergencies and incidents. Performs data entry reviews existing data for accuracy compiles and assesses data and identifies and corrects data errors.
• Assists with gathering and distribution of Situation and Intelligence data for the Dispatch Center area:
  • Undergeneralsupervisionreceivesreviewsandaccuratelyinputsincidentreportsanddailyinformation into the National Incident Reporting System (ICS-209) and DFPC systems.
  • Retrievesandpostsdailyweatherforecastsstateandnationalfiresituationreportsfireresourcerotation lists and statewide resource lists for fire managers and incident personnel.
  • CollectsandpostsweatherobservationsandpostsintothenationalWeatherInformationManagement System (WIMS).Retrieves relevant indices from the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS).
  • Maintains fire statistic databases for the Dispatch Center area.
  • Assist with distribution of fire weather fire behavior and other intelligence and situation products to local County State and Federal fire management personnel incident commanders and dispatch centers.
• Verifiesthatresourcesareaccuratelylistedintheappropriatesystems.
• Receives and processes requests from Incident Management Teams (IMTs) CDPS Fire Billing and Accounting staff and Fire Department County and State customers to obtain the resource and incident documentation orders and reports.
• Assists with management and data entry for preparedness qualification and fire resource systems.

• This Fire Dispatcher assists with staffing and State Fire Coordination functions performing a variety of duties to prepare forcoordinate and implement fire mobilization and dispatching for fire-related incidents across the State of Colorado.
• Bridgesthecurrentstatemobilizationsystemofsystemsmodelofdisparatesystemsfromvariousagenciesby maintaining and implementing systems and processes for streamlined statewide mutual aid and mobilization systems for fire resources.
• This position supports the Emergency Support Function 4 (EFS4) role for the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)
• relationships and understand the culture capacity strengths and weaknesses of other agencies.
• RegularcommunicationandcoordinationwithlocalPublicServiceAnsweringPoints(PSAP)//911dispatchcenters County Emergency Operating Centers (EOCs) Interagency Dispatch Centers (IADCs) and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) to ensure availability of fire resources to support mutual aid and mobilization efforts in relation to other DFPC and WFMS programs with partner agencies.
• Ensures inventories of fire resources from across the state are current and accurate within the mobilization system(s).
• Assists with development implementation and maintenance of program training sessions and exercises for fire departments County State and federal agencies and personnel from dispatch and emergency operation centers from across the State.
• Identifies and communicates fire dispatch and mobilization issues to supervisors and WFMS Fire Resources Branch leadership.
• Coordination and implementation require independent decision making based upon delegated authorities. Requires a background in the fire service law enforcement and/or resource mobilization in order to ensure an understanding of emergency situations and incidents.

• IntheabsenceoftheLeadFireDispatcherperformsdutiesassignedtothatposition.
• PositionwillassistwithotherWFMSprogramsandmaybeassignedotherdutiestosupportthemissionofDFPC.
• DFPC personnel may be relieved of regular duties and assigned to wildfire and/or all-hazard incidents in a National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) or Incident Command System (ICS) position to perform incident management firefighting emergency and incident support activities.

Required Minimum Qualifications and Experiences
This must be specifically documented in your application submission. Additional information submitted after the closing date of this announcement will not be considered in the review of your application.

• Three (3) years of experience in emergency services (i.e. fire law enforcement emergency management etc.) which includes at least One (1) year of emergency dispatch experience.

• Successful candidate will be required to attain:

  • National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards as Expanded Dispatch Recorder (EDRC) within 12 months of hire.
    
    

Required Competencies

• Good written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong organizational skills ability to multitask and attention to detail.

• Ability to interface with the public firefighters and fire managers.

• Ability to handle stressful situations.

• Currently or previously qualified to National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards as Expanded Dispatch Recorder (EDRC) or higher in the NWCG dispatch qualification hierarchy is strongly preferred. If not currently qualified must obtain the certification within 12 months of hire.

  • If currently qualified please upload a copy of your IQS or IQCS Master Record or Incident Qualification Card showing your NWCG qualification(s) with this application.

• Four (4) or more years of experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position (i.e. fire law enforcement emergency management etc.).

  • Preference for professional experience with fire programs firefighting and/or dispatching of fire law enforcement or similar resources.

• Two (2) or more years of documented experience in dispatching and mobilization of fire resources.

• Experience with Colorado interagency cooperative fire programs is preferred including documented experience and relationships working with local fire departments and counties.

• Knowledge and experience with certification qualification dispatching and/or mobilization systems including but not limited to: Incident Qualification System (IQS) Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Cooperative Resource Rate Form (CRRF) Incident Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) WildCAD Automated Flight Following (AFF) Weather Information Management System (WIMS) National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and SIT-209.

• Currently or previously qualified to National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards as:

  • Aircraft Dispatcher (ACDP) Expanded Dispatch Recorded (EDRC) Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher (EDSD) and/or Initial Attach Dispatcher (IADP)

• A complete CDPS Application for announced vacancy (please submit online using the link in this announcement).

• A complete supplemental questionnaire (must submit online as a part oft eh application).

• A copy of your NWCG qualification (IQS or IQCS master record and/or incident qualification card).

• Detailed chronological resume of experience.

• Upon initial employment individuals will be required to provide a complete training file to DFPC that contains all necessary qualification documentation (course certificates position task books personnel evaluations and incident experience history) to demonstrate that NWCG and other requirements have been met.
• If not currently qualified must become qualified to National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards as Expanded Dispatch Recorder (EDRC) or higher within 12 months of hire.
• Position may be required to attain additional training and/or certifications within a specified period of time per current DFPC qualifications and professional development Standard Operating Guidelines and Policies.
• Shift work may be required when assigned to an incident.
• This position will require on-call and call-back status based on fire conditions incident activity and availability of resources.
• Current valid drivers license at time of hire and must obtain a Colorado-issued drivers license within 1 month of hire. Ability to operate motor vehicles and to travel extensively throughout the state in a variety of weather conditions.
• Must be 18 years of age at time of hire.
• This position is a public safety officer as defined by 42 U.S.C. 3796b Sec. 1204 (9).
• Must be willing to travel to wildfire incidents severity assignments and pre-position assignments throughout Colorado and across the nation at times. Assignments may last for two weeks or longer.
• Requires successful completion of a background investigation that includes a polygraph exam a fingerprint based criminal history search reference checking driving history and drug screen.
• DFPC Fire Dispatchers will be required to work varying shifts including day swing (after 11 am) and on-call/overnight shifts as part of the normal working schedule. DFPC resources in a region may stagger their schedules for 7 day coverage.This means a normal work schedule could include days holidays and extended shifts.