Open Competitive
WESTCHESTER COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES
County Service · Westchester Medical Center · Towns · Villages · School Districts
Special Districts · Cities of Peekskill & Rye
|
Last Filing Date:
11/16/20
|
Exam #: 62-282 |
Exam Date: 01/16/21
WRITTEN, LISTENING AND PERFORMANCE TESTS |
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST TRAINEE
Westchester County
A NON-REFUNDABLE $40.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. SEE APPLICATION FILING FEE STATEMENT ON LAST SECTION OF ANNOUNCEMENT.
|
Westchester County is only accepting applications submitted on-line for our civil service examinations. Paper Applications WILL NOT be accepted. TO APPLY ON-LINE VISIT: WWW.WESTCHESTERGOV.COM/HR
|
Candidates may use computers available at the Westchester County One-Stop Employment Center, located at 120 Bloomingdale Road in White Plains, or at local libraries in Westchester County to complete the on-line application. The NON-REFUNDABLE application processing fee MUST be paid on-line using a credit card. Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Pre-paid cards are accepted. Please call (914) 995-2388 if you have any questions.
SALARY
$46,480 - $56,635
RESIDENCE
There are no residence requirements to participate in the examination, but preference in appointment may be given to eligibles that have been residents in the appointing jurisdiction for 30 days prior to the examination and at the effective date of appointment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
High school or equivalency diploma, current CPR certification and either:
(a) two years of full time (35 hours a week) paid experience in a law enforcement agency, fire department or, emergency medical services agency which involved utilizing computers, radios and 911 telephone equipment for emergency response dispatching; or
(b) two years of active duty within a branch of the United States Military; or
(c) current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician; or
(d) completion of the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) Firefighter I training or equivalent; or
(e) completion of the Basic Peace Officers course approved by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services;
(f) Satisfactory completion of sixty credits* toward a degree in Emergency Management, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Emergency Medical Services or closely related field.
SUBSTITUTION: Verifiable experience as an active volunteer member of a law enforcement agency, fire department, emergency medical services agency or emergency communication center which involved utilizing computers, radios and 911 telephone equipment to dispatch emergency response personnel and assets, may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to two years of the required experience in (a).
NOTE: The number of years of experience required in the minimum qualifications is based upon the presumption of full-time employment. Part-time experience will be prorated based on a 35 hour workweek.
*SPECIAL NOTE: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution recognized or accredited by the Board of Regents of the New York State Education Department as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution.
ALL CANDIDATES QUALIFYING BY POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION MUST SUBMIT AN OFFICIAL (RAISED SEAL AND SIGNED BY REGISTRAR) TRANSCRIPT(S) TO THIS OFFICE BY MARCH 17, 2021, UNLESS ALREADY ON FILE IN OUR OFFICE. IF IT IS ON FILE, PLEASE INDICATE THIS ON YOUR APPLICATION. FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE REQUIRED OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A SCORE FOR THIS EXAMINATION.
If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.
DUTIES
Under direct supervision in the Department of Public Safety or Department of Emergency Services, incumbents of this class receive both professional certification(s) and on-the-job training in monitoring and operating two-way radio communication systems, call taking on a telecommunication systems and call entry and retrieval utilizing a computer aided dispatch systems as part of an information network designed to enable effective response to reported emergency situations. Good communication skills, the ability to multitask, and the ability to work well under pressure, are essential functions of this position. Incumbents learn to exercise good judgment in prioritizing calls and dispatching appropriate and assigned resources. This work-training program is for a period not to exceed one year. Subsequent to satisfactory completion of one year of service and having earned certifications appropriate for their department, incumbents are eligible for promotion to the full performance Emergency Communication Specialist I title without further examination. Incumbents may be assigned to one of multiple shifts, which operate on a 24-hour, 7 day basis. Supervision is not a responsibility of this position. Does related work as required.
VACANCIES
The eligible list established as a result of this examination will be utilized, where appropriate, for filling any current or future vacancies in all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Westchester County Department of Human Resources.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION
This examination will consist of three parts: on day of examination, a written and listening test; at a later weekday date, a performance examination on a personal computer.
• WRITTEN TEST - designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:
• LISTENING TEST - The written test series for public safety dispatchers will include an audio-based test for all hands-on public safety dispatchers and related titles. It is called Retaining and comprehending spoken information from calls for emergency services. The Listening Test uses two media: booklet(s) and audio CD. After each call is played, candidates will read questions in a test booklet and answer them on a standard answer paper.
• PERFORMANCE TEST -. A performance test will also be held at a later date, to be announced. The written test will be a ranking test and the performance test will be a qualifying (pass/fail) test. You must pass both the written and performance tests to be considered for appointment. You will not be called to the performance test unless you have passed the written test. Since the performance test is qualifying (pass/fail), if you pass the performance test your final score for the examination will be the score that you achieve on the written test.
Candidates may be invited to the performance test in the order of the scores they achieve on the written test. The County [or City or Town] reserves the right to give the performance test to only as many candidates as are needed to fill available vacancies.
The test will be administered on a conventional personal computer (PC). You will be using a conventional PC keyboard, but you will not be using a mouse.
SUBJECT: The test consists of three parts, each preceded by a separate practice session. It will test your ability to enter the kinds of information that dispatchers and related personnel must process for fire, police, and emergency medical services. You will not need any specific information prior to the test; rather, complete on-screen instructions will tell you all that you need to know in order to take the test. In order to pass, you must enter the data at a rate of at least 6,000 keystrokes per hour (which is equal to typing approximately 20 words per minute), with an accuracy rate of at least 97.5%.
RETEST POLICY: Candidates who fail the performance test will be permitted a retest which will be given on the same day as the original performance test.
NOTE: All candidates are required to take the 911 performance test for this examination. Candidates who have previously taken and passed a 911 performance test will not be waived.
Test guide: The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.
GENERAL NOTICE TO CANDIDATES FOR ALL CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS
1. Unless otherwise notified, candidates are ALLOWED to use quiet, hand-held solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, spell checkers, personal digital assistants, address books, language translators, dictionaries, or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials to the examination location.
2. If you are filing for examinations offered by other agencies (New York State, another County, Cities of Yonkers, New Rochelle, White Plains, etc.) that are being given on the same date as this examination, you must make arrangements to take all examinations at one test site. You are also required to complete and return the Cross Filer Form, available at Westchester County Department of Human Resources, 148 Martine Avenue, Suite 100, White Plains, NY 10601 or download the form at www.westchestergov.com/hr, to this office no less than two (2) weeks prior to the examination date. Failure to provide such information on time may result in disqualification from one or more examinations in this series. There is NO reciprocity with New York City and you must make a choice between the two jurisdictions. Furthermore, if you have applied for both New York State and Westchester County examinations, you must take all examinations at the state examination center. Candidates must take admission notices for all participating examinations on that test date to the state examination center and include all examination numbers on your test materials. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL 914-995-2117. DO NOT CONTACT NEW YORK STATE.
3. Candidates who fail to receive either their admission notice or final disqualification notice by the Thursday prior to the examination are responsible for calling the Department of Human Resources, (995-2117), for instructions.
4. ELIGIBLE LISTS - Lists may be established for a maximum of four years. The resulting eligible list will be used to fill appropriate vacancies as they occur in the agencies listed on the face of this announcement.
5. FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT - In accordance with Westchester County’s comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace Policy and Procedures, and commitment to maintain a safe, alcohol and drug- free work environment, you may be required to submit to a urinalysis and/or blood test.
6. FOR COUNTY EMPLOYMENT – If offered employment, you will be subject to the Westchester County Fingerprinting Policy under which your appointment may be conditioned on the results of a fingerprinting investigation.
7. This examination will be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.
8. Veterans and Veterans with Disabilities, who meet the criteria set forth in the Application for Examination, may be eligible for additional credits added to their earned scores if successful in examination. CREDITS MUST BE CLAIMED AT THE TIME OF FILING YOUR APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION AND YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR DD214 SEPARATION PAPERS. If claiming credit as a Veteran with a disability, attach form 102. If these documents are not submitted within sixty days of filing your application, your claim will be denied. "Active duty members of the Armed Forces have the right to request veteran credits prior to discharge. If you are currently on active duty you should check the appropriate box on the application and attach a letter requesting the use of credits with documentation verifying your active duty status: i.e. copy of military ID, military orders, official documents indicating current service, etc." See our website section "Special Rights for Veterans" for details regarding the use of these credits. Veterans who previously used non-disabled veteran credits for appointment to a position in New York State or local government AND, after his/her appointment, was subsequently classified by the Veterans Administration as a disabled veteran, are now eligible for an award of additional veteran credits. If you are claiming additional disabled veteran credits as a result of the Amendment to Section Six of Article Five of the New York State Constitution effective January 1, 2014, Form 102 Authorization for Disability Record and Form 102S Authorization for Verification of Non-Disabled Veterans Credits Use must be submitted. Completed forms must be received by the Westchester County Department of Human Resources before an eligible list is established in order to be granted credits on that eligible list.
9. In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to receive an additional ten points on a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established.
HOW TO APPLY
APPLICATION FILING FEE: A $40.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. THE NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE MUST BE PAID ONLINE USING A CREDIT CARD.
APPLICATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. IF YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM OR FAIL TO APPEAR FOR THE EXAMINATION, YOUR FEE IS NOT REFUNDED. THEREFORE, WE URGE YOU TO COMPARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS CAREFULLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION AND FILE ONLY FOR THOSE EXAMINATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE CLEARLY QUALIFIED.
THE APPLICATION FILING FEE IS SUBJECT TO BEING INCREASED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
APPLICATION FEE WAIVER: A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Social Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency. The fee may also be waived for those who are serving active military duty. Documentation proving eligibility must be submitted with each application. All claims for application fee waivers are subject to verification.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED.
ALTERNATE TEST DAY REQUESTS: The Department of Human Resources periodically receives requests to reschedule candidates for civil service examinations under exceptional circumstances because individuals are unable to participate in the exams on their scheduled dates.
Upon presentation of appropriate documentation, the Department of Human Resources may grant an alternate test date. The granting of alternate test date is at the discretion of the Department of Human Resources. Examples such as the following may be considered as reasons for granting an alternate test date:
Procedure:
Candidates who have met the criteria may be eligible for one alternate test date. A written request with appropriate documentation justifying the request must be submitted to the Examination Administration Unit. With no exception, alternate test date requests must include documentation verifying the exceptional circumstance which precludes the candidate from appearing. After consideration, the Examination Administration Unit will notify the candidate as to whether or not the request is granted.
APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES: If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application.
Westchester County Department of Human Resources
Recruitment and
Selection Unit
148 Martine Avenue, Suite 100
White Plains, New York 10601
OR
FAX: (914) 995-2009
OR
EMAIL: exam@westchestergov.com
Candidates are responsible for reporting in writing, all changes in name and/or address directly to the “Recruitment and Selection Unit” at the above address. Please include examination number on all correspondence.
We may contact you with exam related correspondence (i.e. Admission Notice, Notice of Exam Results, Request for Additional Information and Transcripts, Disqualification Notices etc.) through e-mail. Candidates are responsible for maintaining valid e-mail and responding to e-mail notifications regarding Westchester County Civil Service examinations.
Admission cards may not be mailed to candidates until ten days prior to the examination date.
Candidates, who receive disqualification notices and wish to appeal such disqualification, must do so in writing.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. It is the policy of Westchester County to provide for and promote the equal opportunity of employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.