Emergency Communications Chief

The Job

CONFIRE, JPA is seeking an Emergency Communications Center Chief responsible for overseeing systemwide emergency communications readiness, coordinating major-incident support, ensuring compliance with operational standards, and supporting workforce and regional public safety system development across CONFIRE's Emergency Communications Center. This chief officer-level role exercises independent judgment in evaluating operational needs, aligning multi-agency requirements, coordinating readiness and integration initiatives, and maintaining comprehensive system documentation to ensure the ECC's operational effectiveness. The Emergency Communications Center Chief works under the Communications Director and collaborates closely with public agency partners, the Medical Director, Compliance Analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure consistent, effective, and compliant regional emergency communications and incident-support operations, ensuring the ECC functions as an integrated regional command center supporting fire, EMS, ambulance deployment, incident coordination, and broader public safety system needs.

CONFIRE, JPA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) located in San Bernardino County, California, established to provide regional public safety communications, dispatch, computer information systems (IS), geographic information systems (GIS), and emergency medical services in support of its member and partner agencies. The CONFIRE Communications Center's primary function is to provide 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year fire, EMS, rescue, and other public safety dispatch services to agencies throughout the region. Beyond its direct dispatch responsibilities, the Communications Center also serves as the San Bernardino County (XBO) Operational Area dispatch center, coordinating fire, local government, law enforcement, and emergency medical resources during large-scale incidents. CONFIRE is also preparing to launch a countywide ambulance transport system that will further integrate emergency communications and EMS operations while enhancing regional service delivery.

Work Availability: This position may be assigned to a standard administrative schedule or an approved shift-based schedule based on operational needs. The incumbent must be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to support Emergency Communications Center operations, system readiness, and regional public safety coordination. Incumbents must be able to report to CONFIRE facilities or other designated locations to address urgent communications or operational needs.

Emergency Response: May be required to respond outside normal business hours to support emergency incidents, Continuity of Operations activities, system disruptions, major events, or other urgent operational demands. Duties may include coordinating incident-support activities, ensuring ECC readiness, documenting critical actions, and providing command-level guidance during high-pressure situations.

Travel: Travel between CONFIRE facilities, member and partner agencies, and other operational locations may be required to support regional coordination and systemwide operational readiness. A valid California Driver License and proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained throughout employment.

Job Description:

Representation Unit: Exempt

Under administrative direction of the Communications Director, the Emergency Communications Center Chief is a non-safety chief officer responsible for command-level operational oversight, command center readiness, systemwide performance accountability, incident-support coordination, and regional public safety integration for CONFIRE, JPA's Emergency Communications Center.

The Emergency Communications Center Chief leads the Emergency Communications Center as a regional public safety command center supporting 9-1-1 call processing, emergency dispatch, incident coordination, resource movement, operational communications, system monitoring, ambulance deployment coordination, emergency medical dispatch support, and regional public safety response coordination.

The position ensures that the Emergency Communications Center is prepared, staffed, equipped, coordinated, and operationally aligned to support routine operations, major incidents, disaster response, emergency activations, system disruptions, planned events, and periods of increased operational demand.

The incumbent provides chief officer-level oversight through subordinate managers and supervisors and works closely with fire agencies, Emergency Medical System (EMS) partners, law enforcement, hospitals, County departments, technology teams, and other public safety stakeholders to ensure the center operates as an integrated command center within the regional public safety system.

This is a non-safety classification; however, prior public safety operational experience is required due to the command, coordination, operational judgment, and incident-support responsibilities of the position. Performs related duties as assigned.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

1. Provide chief officer-level oversight of Emergency Communications Center readiness, command center capability, system performance, incident-support coordination, and regional public safety integration.
2. Ensure the Emergency Communications Center is prepared to support major incidents, disaster response, emergency activations, planned events, system disruptions, surge conditions, and other high-impact operational periods.
3. Provide strategic operational direction, through the Communications Director and established chain of command, to support effective emergency communications, incident coordination, resource status awareness, and regional public safety system coordination.
4. Monitor system-level performance metrics, including call processing performance, dispatch performance, unit status accuracy, workload trends, service levels, system reliability, and operational coordination indicators.
5. Evaluate command center readiness, incident-support capabilities, continuity plans, redundancy systems, system gaps, and regional coordination needs; develop recommendations and corrective strategies.
6. Develop, review, and update command center policies, operational guidelines, post orders, continuity plans, and major incident support procedures in coordination with the Communications Director and Emergency Communications Manager.
7. Coordinate with the Communications Director regarding strategic priorities, performance trends, operational risks, technology needs, continuity planning, disaster readiness, and regional public safety integration.
8. Collaborate with fire agencies, EMS partners, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, County departments, mutual aid partners, and other public safety stakeholders regarding emergency communications, incident-support operations, and regional coordination.
9. Support operational integration between emergency communications, fire response agencies, EMS transport operations, ECNS, ambulance deployment, mutual aid coordination, and other system partners.
10. Coordinate with technology, GIS, CAD, radio, telephone, records management, and data systems personnel to ensure communications systems support operational reliability, redundancy, continuity, interoperability, and regional coordination needs.
11. Work with training personnel, the Emergency Communications Manager, and subject matter experts to identify training, quality improvement, operational update, and readiness needs related to major incidents, system integration, and command center operations.
12. Oversee system-level quality assurance, performance review, operational accountability, and continuous improvement efforts related to command center readiness and regional public safety coordination.
13. Participate in emergency planning, continuity-of-operations planning, disaster preparedness, redundancy planning, emergency activations, planned event coordination, and after-action reviews.
14. Represent the Emergency Communications Center during major incidents, planned events, emergency activations, operational briefings, after-action reviews, and interagency meetings.
15. Prepare reports, analyses, briefings, presentations, and recommendations regarding command center readiness, system performance, operational integration, technology needs, and strategic initiatives.
16. Assist in budget development, resource planning, technology planning, procurement planning, continuity planning, and operational forecasting related to Emergency Communications Center readiness and system needs.
17. Promote a professional, service-oriented, accountable, and mission-focused command center environment consistent with CONFIRE JPA's public safety responsibilities.
18. Maintain awareness of laws, regulations, standards, technologies, and best practices related to emergency communications, 9-1-1 operations, dispatch, incident coordination, continuity planning, and command center operations.
19. Provide vacation or temporary relief as required.
20. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Fire Administration, Emergency Management, Public Safety Administration, Communications, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a closely related field.

OR

An equivalent combination of education, training, and qualifying experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position may be considered.

Experience:

Seven (7) years of progressively responsible public safety experience involving fire service, emergency medical services, emergency management, emergency communications, incident command, public safety operations, or a closely related field.

Experience must include at least three (3) years of command, executive management, senior management, administrative, or operational management responsibility in a public safety, emergency communications, fire service, EMS, emergency management, or closely related operational environment.

Prior public safety operational experience is required.

Desired Qualifications

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience managing or overseeing a public safety emergency communications center, dispatch center, emergency operations center, or command center.
• Leadership experience in fire service, EMS, emergency communications, or emergency management.
• Experience working with Incident Command System (ICS).
• Experience coordinating multi-agency emergency operations, major incidents, disaster activations, planned events, or mutual aid responses.
• Knowledge of 9-1-1 operations, emergency dispatch practices, public safety communications systems, CAD systems, radio systems, GIS mapping, and related technologies.
• Knowledge of fire service, EMS, mutual aid, emergency management, ambulance deployment, and emergency medical dispatch.
• Experience with performance metrics, quality improvement