Emergency Communication Specialist I

JOB LOCATION
23911 E Arapahoe Rd Aurora, Colorado 80016-4120
City of Aurora, Colorado
It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service, and we welcome all who share these values to apply.
Why Work for Aurora?
Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
Diverse community
Competitive total compensation package
Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
Light rail station minutes away
On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
Access to innovation workspaces
PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The deadline to submit applications is November 5th, 2026, at 11:59 pm. Please note, the City of Aurora will conduct ongoing screenings of applications on a first-come, first-serve basis; as soon as we determine a qualified pool of applicants exists, this position may be closed without notice.
Hiring Range for this position: $28.50-$35.63/Hourly
Full Range for this position: $28.50-$44.54/Hourly
Lateral Candidates: Candidates with direct Emergency Communication Specialist/dispatch experience are strongly encouraged to apply. Prior emergency communications service, relevant certifications, and demonstrated proficiency in essential call‑taking and dispatch functions will be evaluated to determine initial salary placement and assignment within the established training and career progression framework.
Full Pay Range of the Emergency Communications Specialist Series: $28.50 - $51.95/Hourly based on progression through additional certifications and achievements.
Career Advancement
Aurora911 offers attractive career progression opportunities which are accompanied by salary range increases. After the completion of the Basic Training Academy, team members have access to additional certifications and responsibilities:
Emergency Communications Specialist I (9-1-1 and non-emergency call taking): 6% increase upon completion of basic training
Emergency Communications Specialist II (9-1-1, services/data, police OR fire dispatching): 7% increase from ECS-I, upon completion of advancement training
Emergency Communications Specialist III (9-1-1, services/data, police AND fire dispatching): 7% increase from ECS-II, upon completion of advancement training 4% longevity recognition increase upon the completion of five (5) years as an ECS-III
Qualified team members may become certified as a Communication Training Officer (CTO) and will earn an additional 5% salary per training hour while certified as a CTO for Aurora911.
Bilingual team members may also qualify for additional compensation.
In addition to progression, the City of Aurora provides:
annual cost of living increases (averaging 3% per year)
annual high-performance bonuses
Aurora911 also provides all team members (and their families) with direct access to psychological services and wellness/resiliency resources, at no cost to the employee.
Highly competitive total compensation package
Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
On Site Fitness Center, and overall employee well-being programs
Peer Support
Formal Mentoring opportunities
Free, Secure Parking
Free electric vehicle (EV) charging
Career Enrichment Opportunities
Aurora911 provides opportunities to participate in a growing variety of specialty assignments, including but not limited to:
Peer Support
Recruitment Team and Career Counseling
Culture - Recognition and Team Building
Tactical Dispatching (TERT) – in development
Community Engagement and Education
Continuing Education
The City of Aurora offers a generous tuition reimbursement program for employees, as well as a robust employee learning system which offers a variety of in-person learning and thousands of on demand virtual learning sessions for a wide variety of topics.
Aurora911 also offers continuing education and development for technical and human skills, including leadership development and access to industry-specific professional certifications.
OVERVIEW OF POSITION / DEPARTMENT
The Mission of Aurora911 is to get the Right Resources to the Right Place at the Right Time, for Everyone, Every Time.
Aurora911’s Vision: We are igniting a worldwide transformation in public safety communications, fueled by innovation and heartfelt compassion. We will bridge diverse communities and nurture an Aurora where respect is foundational, integrity unites us in mutual trust, and teamwork is our North Star.
Aurora911 is staffed by public safety professionals who are trained to answer and triage 9-1-1 and non-emergency telephone calls, as well as dispatch police, fire, paramedic, and alternative response resources. Our dedicated 9-1-1 professionals gather and analyze critical life-safety information from callers and send the information via computer to police, fire and or paramedic dispatchers who are responsible for coordinating the response of field responders. The Aurora911 team works in partnership with Aurora Police Department, Aurora Fire Rescue, Falck ambulance, Aurora Mobile Response Team, Information Technology, and other city departments to ensure the safety and quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors in the City of Aurora.
Aurora911 processes 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls from the citizens and visitors in the City of Aurora. More than 600,000 telephone calls for service are received annually, the majority of which result in the dispatch of police, fire, rescue, or emergency medical responders.
The Emergency Communications Specialist I (ECS-1) position is the entry level 9-1-1 operational position in the Aurora911 Communications Center. The ECS-1 will be required to successfully complete the Aurora911 Basic Training Program, and the introductory period with the City of Aurora, and will be able to independently receive and process 911 emergency calls and non-emergency calls for Police, Fire and Ambulance services. The ECS-1 works independently in the operation of multi-line telephone systems and computer systems and can expedite information to and from public safety agencies. An ECS-1 must be willing to work in a 24-hour environment, which includes shifts on swings and graveyards, weekends, holidays, overtime, and on-call. This is a life safety-sensitive position that handles confidential information.
PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Receive and prioritize emergency and non-emergency calls and digital requests for emergency assistance from the public requesting police, fire, ambulance, and other emergency services; gather, analyze, and report critical information during life-or-death situations such as crimes in progress, medical emergencies, and fire/rescue incidents.
Administer care by providing pre-arrival medical instruction or directing callers through lifesaving procedures such as CPR, childbirth, or controlling of blood loss while emergency medical services are in route.
Operate a variety of public safety communications equipment including (but not limited to) 911 emergency call handling system, text-to-911, advanced location systems, computer aided dispatch systems, instant recall recorder and paging and intercom systems.
Initiate public safety response requests into computer-aided dispatch system via keyboards to provide needed data to dispatchers and responding units/agencies.
Provide emergency aid, information and directions to non-emergency callers; refer and/or transfer calls to outside agencies as appropriate.
Read/interpret maps for the public, field personnel, and other agencies in order to assist in locating certain geographical areas; interpret telephone call locations from maps by applying knowledge of local geography in order to provide appropriate and timely assistance.
Perform various computer checks, input and retrieval of information to assist dispatchers and emergency services staff.
Enter automated records of activity into the computer; maintain a variety of logs relating to public safety telecommunications activities; compile statistics on calls received.
May provide backup to dispatchers for computer queries, processing documents and telephone notifications during busy periods and/or critical incidents.
If eligible and certified to serve in a training capacity; review policy