Philosophy

The communications center provides dispatching services for both the police and fire departments; including Emergency Medical Dispatching for the residents of the Town and Village of Kenmore. Many aspects of dispatching are similar for both departments. However, each department has its own special needs as dictated by the type of calls they handle and their established procedures.

Responsibilities

Public Safety Dispatchers perform communications duties for the Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coordination of the Town of Tonawanda. The center is also responsible for dispatching EMS in the Village of Kenmore. They answer citizen calls for service, both emergency and non-emergency, dispatching police officers, firefighters and equipment to handle any type of situation. Communications Center personnel provide the vital first-link between citizens and the Town's resources. Their performance directly contributes to the safety and well-being of the Department's officers and the Town's residents. The Town of Tonawanda Communications center handles incoming calls for service in a two-step method. The calls are received by complaint dispatchers, who screen the call and either refer the caller to the appropriate radio operator, or take information for referral to the front desk officer. Incident information is entered into the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) computer which records all incident information and tracks the status of all officers and units in the field.

Staff

The Communications Bureau has 17 full-time employees and 9 part-time employees.

The Communications Center maintains various record files such as lists of business owners, resident contacts, alarm systems, school information and day care centers to name a few. The center can be a busy, noisy, high paced place to work, and dispatchers must often devote total concentration to the radio for long periods of time. This profession involves an individual's ability to multi-task regularly and work under high stress situations at times.

Employment Opportunities

Full-Time dispatchers are hired in accordance with Erie County Civil Service Department rules  In order to be considered for a full-time dispatcher's position you must have completed 60 college credit hours in any discipline and take the public safety dispatcher exam, as administered by Erie County Civil Service. If you pass the exam your name will be placed on an eligible list according to your grade.  Only Town of Tonawanda and Village of Kenmore residents are eligible for positions in our Dispatch Unit.  The eligible lists are valid for an average of 4 years, unless required sooner. If you are interested in a career as a full-time dispatcher, follow this link to the Erie County website and search the current exam offerings.  Current Erie County Civil Service Exams

Click this LINK to see what an announcement looks like. It also explains the qualifications at the time of this last exam in 2016. The exams are valid for an average of 4 years (or as necessary) so don’t miss out on a great career opportunity.

Becoming a Part-Time Dispatcher: NO EXAM 

An individual must be a Town or Village resident, and have at least a high school diploma or equivalency. Dispatcher and or Fire Experience is a plus but not required. No exam is needed.

Applications can be obtained through the Town Of Tonawanda Personnel office located at 291 Ensminger Road, Suite 2 Tonawanda, NY 14150. We are always accepting applications, although they must be completed in person at the personnel office.