Public Safety Communications Call Taker

Buncombe County•Asheville, NC

8d•$20 - $23

About The Position

The Buncombe County Public Safety Communications Center plays a crucial role in connecting the public with emergency services. Every day, our center answers 911 and administrative calls, while coordinating and dispatching vital responses from fire departments, law enforcement, and emergency medical services. If you feel a calling to make a genuine difference, we invite you to consider joining our dedicated team! We’re thrilled to share that we are hiring five dedicated individuals to join our upcoming training academy starting on Monday, May 18th 2026! For this academy, we will be conducting interviews for both the Call Taker and Telecommunicator positions. We welcome those with no previous experience for this Academy. Individuals offered a Call Taker position will receive extensive training during the academy and comprehensive on-the-job training following the 16-week academy . Training schedule vs. long-term schedule : Candidates can anticipate that the first 16 weeks of training will be conducted in a classroom type environment, scheduled Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, at 164 Erwin Hills Road. Following the initial training period, academy graduates will be assigned to a 12-hour shift. Our Center provides around-the-clock coverage through four dedicated teams operating on a Pitman shift schedule, with candidates assigned to a specific shift based on departmental needs at the conclusion of their training. While shift preferences will be taken into account , they cannot be guaranteed. Purpose of the position: The purpose of this position is responsible and timely operation of communication equipment to receive and screen emergency calls for the Buncombe County Public Safety Communications Department.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 18 years of age.
By the end of the training period, thorough knowledge of the policies, procedures, processes, laws, ordinances, and regulations affecting public safety call-taking and the ability to apply them appropriately.
Ability to use logic, critical thinking, and reasoning to reach conclusions and solve problems, using judgment and decision-making skills to rapidly evaluate situations, establish priorities, resolve matters, and pass on information, as needed.
Able to adhere to policy and procedure requirements that are stringent, rigorous, and unwavering, including confidentiality of information and trustworthiness while dealing with sensitive information.
Able to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively; relay details accurately; listen actively; think and act quickly.
Able to effectively interact with people of different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
Handle, under pressure, and in emergency and stressful situations.
Able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously under pressure, and in stressful situations, including complaints and difficult situations, remaining calm under pressure to obtain information from hostile, confusing, and emotional callers in a tactful and courteous manner.
Ability to read and interpret geographical spatial data and maps quickly and accurately.
Ability to operate computer systems with specialized software and enter data via keyboard and software with speed and accuracy.

Responsibilities

Receive and screen requests for emergency services
Manage challenging callers using appropriate handling of distressed, autistic, hearing-impaired, elderly, angry, and foreign-language-speaking callers.
Ascertain incident information by obtaining and verifying caller information, location, determining the nature of the incident, and all available data including but not limited to automated data, social media information, text message, images, or video and providing information to emergency services either verbally and/or digitally.
Facilitate the transferring of calls to the appropriate resources and perform conference calls with entities, such as but not limited to poison control centers or helicopter dispatch.
Interpret sensor data to triage, prioritize, and properly categorize a call.
Document, prioritize, and sequence calls promptly in limited time with limited or no supervision.
Operate a computer workstation comprised of multiple computer systems, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) software, geographical information systems (GIS), and recording systems.
Complete training, certifications, and competencies as needed by actively seeking training, completing the training and certifications required for assigned Call Taker position, and complete continuing education and career development as necessary.
Follow established agency policies and procedures, being aware of liability to the department, and adhering to federal disclosure and privacy laws.
Perform other related duties as assigned.