WCDES- Program Specialist (Emergency Communications) Exam

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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: 8/27/07

Date Posted: 7/30/07

JBCL: C3138

Exam #: 65-399

Exam Date: 10/13/07

PROGRAM SPECIALIST

(EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMUNICATION)

Westchester County

A NON-REFUNDABLE $25.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. SEE APPLICATION FILING FEE STATEMENT ON LAST SECTION OF ANNOUNCEMENT.

SALARY

$48,270 - Starting Salary

$60,040 - Maximum reached in four additional steps

RESIDENCE

There are no residence requirements to participate in the examination, but preference in appointment may be given to eligible candidates that have been residents in the appointing jurisdiction for 30 days prior to the examination and at the effective date of appointment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Possession of a high school or equivalency diploma and five years of experience in an emergency services field (Police, Fire or EMS), two years of which must have involved the use, maintenance or operation of various communication systems, including a Computerized Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.

SUBSTITUTIONS: 30 credits* towards a Bachelor’s Degree may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to three years of the required experience. Candidates must possess the two years of specialized experience.

NOTE: Experience gained as an active volunteer member of a police department, EMS agency, fire department or ambulance corps must be equivalent to a 35 hour a week, full-time position.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Possession of a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in the State of New York.

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.

ONLY EXPERIENCE GAINED AFTER ATTAINING THE MINIMUM EDUCATION LEVEL INDICATED IN THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN EVALUATING EXPERIENCE.

ALL CANDIDATES QUALIFYING BY POST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION MUST SUBMIT AN OFFICIAL (RAISED SEAL AND SIGNED BY REGISTRAR) TRANSCRIPT (S) TO THIS OFFICE BY DECEMBER 13, 2007, 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.

NOTE: 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 general supervision, an incumbent of this position, located in the Department of Emergency Services, serves as a technical expert on complex communication systems issues relating to the department’s Computer Aided Dispatch and digital recording systems. Work involves ensuring accurate retrieval, tracking and compilation of data records from CAD; receiving, duplicating and reviewing confidential recorded and written reports, and responding to Freedom of Information (FOIL) requests as well as other requests for confidential information. In addition, the incumbent develops quality assurance and improvement programs for the Emergency Communication Center staff and provides education for other participating municipalities on industry accepted radio etiquette and protocols; supervises the training and quality assurance procedures of ECC staff in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD); assists in the development and implementation of quality control procedures to ensure consistency of response and in addressing and resolving issues or problems in the field, and maintains detailed records of all radio communications. 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.

This examination will also be given on a promotional basis on the same day, and the resulting eligible list will have preference in making appointments. If you qualify for the promotional examination, you must file a separate application for each examination.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION

WRITTEN TEST is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. F.C.C. Rules and Regulations - These questions test for knowledge of Federal Communications Commission rules and regulations governing radio systems frequency and licensing standards, and the requirements of Part 90, FCC regulations, governing land mobile radio services.

2. Preparing Written Material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

3. Radio Operations and Dispatching Procedures - These questions test for knowledge of two-way radio systems and operations, and may cover dispatching procedures when appropriate.

4. Training Users of Computers - These questions test for knowledge of techniques for using computers and approaches to training others to use them. They cover such subjects as use of computer hardware, software and applications; preparing and evaluating instruction materials; determining the level of trainees' knowledge and the use of computers to provide instruction and feedback. The questions on training depend upon good judgment and practical experience rather than knowledge of abstract principles.

GENERAL NOTICE TO CANDIDATES FOR ALL CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS

1. Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, and 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 any other jurisdiction’s examination(s) (i.e. New York State, New York City, another County, Yonkers, New Rochelle, White Plains, Mt. Vernon), that are being given on the same date as this examination, you are required to notify this office in writing no less than two (2) weeks prior to the examination date. Failure to provide such information 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.

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. Disabled and non-disabled veterans, 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 Disabled Veteran, 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."

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 $25.00 APPLICATION FEE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATELY NUMBERED EXAMINATION FOR WHICH YOU APPLY. THE FEE MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR APPLICATION (S) AND MUST BE RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE AT THE ADDRESS NOTED BELOW BY THE LAST FILING DATE.

SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES WITH YOUR APPLICATION. WRITE THE EXAMINATION NUMBER (S) AND THE APPLICANT’S NAME ON THE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

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.

IF YOUR APPLICATION IS RECEIVED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED FEE, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU. SHOULD YOU WISH TO REFILE WITH THE REQUIRED FEE, YOUR APPLICATION AND THE APPROPRIATE FEES MUST BE RETURNED PRIOR TO, OR POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN, THE LAST FILING DATE. (METERED MAIL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE LAST FILING DATE.)

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 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. Documentation proving eligibility must be submitted with each application. All claims for application fee waivers are subject to verification.

You may obtain blank application forms in person and submit completed exam application forms to the:

WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

SUITE 100, MICHAELIAN OFFICE BUILDING

148 MARTINE AVENUE

WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK 10601

Completed applications MUST be postmarked NO LATER THAN THE LAST FILING DATE and must have the required application fee attached; or, if not mailed, delivered to the above address together with the required application fee attached NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. on the last filing date.

NOTE: RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION - Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the appropriate box under “Testing Accommodation” on your application. We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date.

DISABLED APPLICANTS - If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application.

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.

Candidates, who receive disqualification notices and wish to appeal such disqualification, must do so in writing.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WOMEN AND MINORITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. 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.

www.westchestergov.com/hr