Emergency Report Centre Operator

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The mandate of Campus Security and Emergency Services (CSES) is to promote a safe and welcoming environment that recognizes and is respectful of the diverse nature of the Queen’s University Community. Reporting to the Managers, CSES, but under the supervision of the on-duty Supervisor(s) (Supervisor), the Emergency Report Centre Operator (ERC Operator) is responsible for the day to day operation of the Emergency Report Centre (ERC). The main purpose of the ERC Operator is to coordinate response to all emergency and non-emergency situations coming into the ERC during their shift, creating incident reports, and collecting statistical evidence. Response generally takes the form of dispatching CSES personnel, but also includes contacting appropriate university staff (Physical Plant Services trades, parking, etc.) or outside agencies, (police, fire, ambulance, bylaw) to attend to the situation. They also act as a communications "hub" for CSES to ensure that required information is passed and received for the duration of an incident. Committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and in a collaborative team environment, the ERC Operator interacts with students, faculty, staff, contractors, and community partners in emergencies and daily response communications. As such the ERC Operator provides guidance and direction to university students, faculty, staff, and visitors as required. Providing an essential service to the university community on a 7/24/365 basis, the ERC Operator will work rotation shifts and irregular overtime, sometimes at short notice, including covering for staff who are sick or in response to emergency situations or during times of peak operation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assists the Manager, Security Operations, in the operation of the ERC. This includes alarm response (fire, intrusion, and mechanical alarms); coordinate two-way radio communications between Security, university First Aid, Physical Plant Services, and other radio system users, answer department phone lines (including emergency, duress, assistance, and elevators). Assist users of the access control software to program schedules, users, and fobs, when needed.

• Administer alarm computer accounts; manage the central access control for Fleming-Hall, Jemmett Wing; monitoring and trouble-shooting problems with the central access control system-wide; and monitoring system operation.

• Review Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage, in order to collect image evidence for investigative purposes.

• Receive and dispatch calls for service both routine and emergencies in consultation with the Supervisor(s) ranging from general assistance and maintenance requests, to fire alarms, criminal activity, and issues involving mental health and wellness.

• Receive and coordinate personal safety escorts for members of the university community in consultation with the on-duty supervisor through the Safe Walk and Work Alone programs.

• Maintain the department incident reporting database as the administrator, Alert-L list service and mail lists the department uses on a daily basis.

• Grant access to departmental systems to authorized staff in order to view incidents as required.

• Maintain and update a variety of databases, instruction lists, and reference materials pertinent to the effective and efficient operation of the ERC through cross-referencing with other departments and university contacts.

• Responsible for emergency messaging for the university under the authority of the Director or Incident Commander in accordance with the university’s Emergency Management Plan and Corporate Communications Plan.

• Compile, collate, and analyze incident data, including preparation of spreadsheets, generating reports, and maintains statistics for CSES for release internally and externally.

• Monitors the equipment in the ERC to ensure proper functionality and coordinates maintenance.

• In consultation with the Manager, Security Risk & Training, determine and maintain content of the CSES webpage and upload Social Media posts for CSES.

• Assist the Managers to ensure the ERC is properly staffed for all shifts.

• Conduct on-the-job training for new ERC operators as per established training procedures.

• Assist with the recruitment of internal CSES applicants for full-time continuing ERC operator positions by providing recommendations to the Managers.

• Research and make recommendations for new equipment as needed for ERC.

• Act as CSES committee leads for various internal and external committees as assigned by the Director.

• Undertake other duties in support of the department as required by the Director or Managers

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Post-secondary education in Emergency Management or related field combined with 3 to 5 years of experience in a similar role providing services to a community in a highly visible, fast-paced environment, which requires a high level of professionalism, providing quick appropriate decisions.

• Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, website management, and database management.

• Knowledge of security-related situations to make decisions and handle security-related incidents that could involve life threatening situations.

• Knowledge and experience with fire alarm procedures; fire extinguisher training or experience, and a working knowledge of intrusion detection systems would be considered an asset.

• Training in Emergency Management, Critical Incident Stress Management and Mental Health training would be considered an asset.

• Knowledge of the university campus, organizational structure and procedures would be considered an asset.

• Certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check.

• Consideration may be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

• Ability to work effectively and respectfully in a socially and culturally diverse community.

• Strong leadership skills acting as a role model to new ERC operators.

• Ability to work as a member of the team and within a group.

• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), strong interpersonal skills, to facilitate positive interactions with a variety of people with various levels of technological sophistication and professional backgrounds.

• Ability to understand human dynamics and the factors that lead to stress in crisis situations and is able to calm people in these situations.

• Ability to exercise good judgment and common sense, and be able to resolve confrontational situations through de-escalation techniques

• Ability to respond immediately and effectively to a wide variety of dynamic situations, while maintaining composure and considering the safety of other CSES staff.

• Ability to use discretion and good judgment in dealing with sensitive or confidential information, including the ability to discern when sensitive issues should be referred to more senior staff in the department and/or university.

• Proficiency to adapt to new technology.

• Ability to adhere to strict confidentiality.

• Ability to work rotating shifts and irregular overtime, sometimes at short notice, including covering for staff who are sick or in response to emergency situations at the university.

DECISION MAKING:

• Determine the nature and content of briefing notes, statistical reports, and other information used to update the Director.

• Prioritize work and time deciding the most important tasks among several to meet deadlines. Assess workload and discuss any necessary support required from the Managers.

• Judge which inquiries to refer to the Director, Managers, or Supervisors and which to handle to completion.

• Possess the ability and judgement to determine an appropriate course of action for occurrences that do not have a readily pre-set procedure in a changing and dynamic environment. Offering alternative solutions to callers should CSES be unable to assist because of a higher priority incident (EFAP, TALK, Crisis Centre, etc.).

• Makes split second decisions, determining priority of contacting emergency responders to resolve an incident.

• Able to determine priorities and maintain personal composure when dealing with security incidents, especially emergency situations or when prioritizing response to simultaneous incidents.

• Coordinate with the CSES Supervisor(s) on duty, determine the appropriate type and level of response to any emergency situation that arises, including response by police, fire, ambulance, university First Aid, Physical Plant Services, Environmental Health & Safety, Information Technology Services, and the International Centre (Study/Work Abroad program).

• Assist with the evaluation of new Emergency Report Centre Operator’s performance and recommend appropriate training or coaching.

• Determining when to refer a situation to a higher authority or deal with the issue internally.

• Make recommendations regarding CSES procedures; suggest and support the implementation of changes.

• Recommend content for social media posts to be uploaded to CSES social media sites.