State of Maryland

An Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Communication Operator Specialist is the advanced level of work operating emergency communication equipment in the Emergency Medical Resource Center/System Communication Center. Employees receive, clarify, relay and dispatch medical information and coordinate medical consultations between field Medics, local emergency communication centers, Physicians and hospital personnel. Employees in this classification assign, review and approve the work of and trains lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator Supervisor. Employees are subject to call and may be assigned to day, evening or night shifts which may include weekends and holidays.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator Specialist is differentiated from the Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator II in that the Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator Specialist assigns, reviews and approves the work of  and trains lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators while the Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision. The Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator Specialist is differentiated from the Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator Supervisor in that the Emergency Medical Services Communication Operator Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators.

Assigns, reviews and approves the work of the lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators operating multi-band, multi-channel two-way radios, computers, pagers, overhead projectors and other communication equipment;

Trains lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators during the initial orientation period and on-the-job;

Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Emergency Medical Resource Center/System Communication Center for an assigned shift including assigning duty stations, shift schedules and coverage in the event of absence of regularly scheduled employees;

Complies and tabulates demographic and medical data, maintains logs of Medevac helicopter downtime and hospital availability for operational reports and studies;

Assists lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators with protocols and procedures when responding to requests for information from public information officers and the public; Recommends modifications and additions to protocols and procedures of the Emergency Medical Resource Center/System Communication Center concerning patient information and the Center's system;

Coordinates radio and telephone consultations between field Medics and designated Physicians;

Determines priorities for multiple requests for information and informs ambulances and Medevac helicopters of patients requiring emergency treatment;

Monitors the status of hospitals and medical specialty centers to provide emergency medical treatment, such as pediatric, hand, eye and burn care;

Obtains information such as location and nature of emergency incidents, the number, names and ages of injured persons to expedite patient treatment and to maintain accurate logs;

Monitors a computerized tracking system as backup for the Maryland State Police dispatcher to determine availability and location of Medevac helicopters;

Operates a computerized paging system to inform physicians, technicians and public officials of needed emergency services;

Answers questions from the public and the media concerning specific emergency incidents and the patients involved according to appropriate protocols and procedures;

May be required to drive to locations of emergency incidents to establish, maintain or improve communications as necessary to expedite patient emergency medical treatment;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the operation of multi-band, multi-channel two-way radios, computers, pagers, overhead projectors and other communication equipment used to receive, clarify, relay and dispatch information and coordinate medical consultations;

Knowledge of advanced life support protocols, medical priorities, hospital and medical equipment availability, guidelines and procedural manual used for disasters and emergency evacuations;

Knowledge of medical terminology to clarify and relay information and instructions between field medics and consulting physicians and receiving hospitals;

Skill in the use of multi-band, multi-channel two-way radios, computers, pagers, overhead projectors and other communication equipment;

Skill in maintaining logs, files and records;

Skill in obtaining information that can be relayed ahead to physicians to expedite patient emergency medical treatment;

Ability to determine work priorities, quickly assess the urgency of multiple requests for assistance and exercise sound judgement under stressful conditions;

Ability to apply protocols and procedures to maintain the confidentiality of medical information;

Ability to lead the work of lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators;

Ability to instruct lower-level Emergency Medical Services Communication Operators;

Ability to communicate clearly when using radios, pagers and other communication equipment;

Ability to ascertain the estimated arrival time to transport patients from one location to another.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Three years of experience receiving, relaying and dispatching medical information from an emergency medical communication system as an operator or from the field as pre-hospital care provider

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional experience in an emergency communication system receiving, relaying and dispatching information on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Emergency Communications or Management classifications or Emergency Communications or Management specialty codes in the Emergency Management field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Employees in this classification must possess and maintain an Emergency Medical Technician certificate valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call 24 hours a day and will be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number where they can be contacted.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Director, Division of Classification and Salary