Fire Dispatcher (Lateral)

Fire Dispatcher Lateral

The Ontario Fire Department, Fire Communications Division is currently accepting applications for the position of Fire Dispatcher (Lateral). The Fire Dispatchers are the first to act in an emergency and are the most valuable link between the public and the fire personnel who serve and protect the community. Fire Dispatchers respond to emergency and non-emergency calls for service; provide appropriate emergency medical directions; identifies and dispatches fire units using Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software and equipment; gathers and relays critical information to fire personnel; documents calls and responses and complies with Department policies and procedures to assure the safety of City personnel and the public. Fire Dispatchers are eligible for promotion to Senior Fire Dispatcher upon successful completion of a probationary period with the City of Ontario, a minimum of two years of experience as a Fire Dispatcher, satisfactory performance evaluations, and a recommendation from management. Coming Mid-2026! A brand-new state of the art administration facility is currently under construction where the Fire Communications Center will be located and is expected to open in mid-2026.

Due to the high volume of applications anticipated for this recruitment, the following procedures may apply:

• The City of Ontario reserves the right, if necessary, to accept only the first 100 applications from applicants that meet the minimum qualifications.
• Completed applications will be reviewed and only qualified applicants whose qualifications best meet or exceed the requirements of the position and needs of the City, will be invited to participate further in the selection process.
• This recruitment will result in an eligibility list that will be used to meet any future staffing needs for the department with this classification as positions become available.

All appointments to this position are subject to the successful completion of an in-depth background investigation conducted by the Ontario Fire Department as well as a physical examination including a drug screening. The background investigation is a rigorous process which often takes several months to complete. A typical background investigation includes but is not limited to: background interviews with individuals designated by the Ontario Fire Department (this may include current and former co-workers, friends, relatives, neighbors, or any other relevant individual), criminal background check, polygraph examination, and physiological evaluation. Candidates may be disqualified from further consideration during the background investigation for a variety of reasons including if they have: arrests and/or convictions; a history of illegal substance abuse; or thefts from a previous employer.

The Ontario Fire Department is a team committed to professional and compassionate public service. The Department responds to more than 23,000 calls per year serving and protecting a population well over 180,000 residents, covering nearly 50 square miles. There are ten (10) fire stations that house ten (10) engine companies and four (4) truck companies. The Ontario Fire Communications Center also provides full Fire and EMS dispatching services to the City of Corona which has seven (7) fire stations and serves a population of over 165,000 residents covering 39 square miles. The Ontario Fire Department is a full-service department providing fire/rescue services; medical services through the department's paramedic program; safety education; fire inspections; plan review; and various specialty teams such as Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF), SWAT medics, bomb squad, hazmat, and urban search and rescue. The Ontario Fire Department is proud to serve the residents, businesses, and visitors of the City of Ontario with a high degree of professionalism. The members of the Ontario Fire Department realize the value of each team member and constantly strive to improve service to the community by living up to the department's core values: Integrity Accountability Service Respect Honor.

The City of Ontario is a dynamic leading community in the Inland Empire with a variety of full-time and part-time employment and volunteer opportunities. Ontario enjoys the reputation of being a progressive City which provides solid leadership to its citizens and to the business community. The City provides a full range of services to the community including: Police, Fire, Management Services, Community Life & Culture, Community Development, Public Works and the Ontario Municipal Utilities Company. The City's team is staffed with approximately 1,500 full-time and 300 part-time diverse and talented employees who work to support a common goal of providing excellent service to the community.

The essential functions typically performed by Fire Dispatcher (Lateral) include but are not limited to the following:

• Receives, identifies, and records a variety of calls for assistance from the public related to fire and/or medical services.
• Calms distressed callers, uses interview techniques to gain incident information and enters calls for service in a timely and accurate manner.
• Provides pre-arrival medical instructions to callers.
• Provides information to callers, prepares telephone requests for assistance, assigns incident numbers to occurring events, and refers callers to other staff/agencies as appropriate.
• Dispatches proper public safety staff and equipment based on computerized recommendations, response procedure guidelines, and knowledge of agency requirements.
• Communicates with public safety staff in the field and informs emergency command staff of pending responses from other agencies.
• Maintains status of calls via computer screens, keyboard, and other communications equipment.
• Conducts tests of emergency communication equipment as needed.
• Coordinates use of multiple radio frequencies supported by the radio system among ground units and performs routine communication via radio paging for administrative staff.
• Prioritizes safety related information and analyzes data and complex information for situational changes.
• Applies a working knowledge of regional geography for all the areas served by the Communications Center.
• Retrieves information from local, state, and federal databases as requested by field staff investigative purposes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education: High school diploma or recognized equivalent.

Experience: One (1) year of continuous experience in public safety emergency communication two-way radio operations & techniques as well as emergency (9-1-1) call-taking experience within the last three (3) years.

License: A valid California Class "C" driver license and an acceptable driving record at the time of appointment and throughout employment.

Certifications:

• Obtain California Law Enforcement Teletype Systems (CLETS) Certification is required within six (6) months of employment.
• Obtain Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification issued by the international Academies of Emergency Dispatch prior to the end of the probationary period.
• CPR/First Aid certification prior to the end of the probationary period.

Special Requirements:

• Ability to work any shift in a 24-hour/day, 7-day/week operation on a rotational basis including weekends and holidays.
• Ability and willingness to wear mandatory uniform and communication headset.
• Ability to work in an underground location. The current Fire Communications Center is located in the basement of Fire Administration building.
• Ability to provide a Typing Certificate of forty (40) words per minute, (WPM) from a recognized typing agency, if selected to move forward in the recruitment selection process.

Desirables:

• Possession of an International Academy of Emergency Dispatch Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) certification.
• Possession of CPR certification.
• Knowledge of the geography and major road networks of the cities of Ontario and Corona and surrounding service areas.