Suitability
Can You Answer the Call?
Are you willing to work:
- 8-hour, 12-hour, 16-hour, or 18-hour shifts?
- Nights and weekends?
- All holidays (New Years, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.)?
- During family events (birthdays, doctor appointments, etc.)?
- In a fast-paced, stressful, and noisy environment?
- During natural or man-made disasters affecting your family and your residence?
- Long periods of time, without a break, when an emergency situation occurs?
Are you also willing to:
- Maintain ethical behavior on and off duty?
- Maintain confidentiality of criminal, medical, and other sensitive records?
- Resolve conflicts with coworkers, other first responders, and individuals seeking assistance?
- Secure reliable transportation to arrive at work on time?
- Complete an intensive introductory classroom training program and attend regular continuing education?
- Complete an on-the-job training program, rotating through a variety of shifts?
- Be confined to a desk, using a computer for long periods of time?
- Operate a multi-line telephone system?
- Communicate over public safety radios, while being monitored by citizens?
- Testify in court?
- Make life or death decisions?
Are you willing to interact with callers who:
- Use abusive and offensive language?
- Are intoxicated or high?
- Speak a foreign language?
- Are homicidal, angry, confrontational, or difficult?
- Are suicidal, lonely, stressed, afraid, or hysterical?
- Are young children or elderly persons?
- Have special physical, mental, or emotional needs?
- Are dealing with the death of their child or parent?
- Habitually call with non-emergency issues?
- Repeatedly hang up on you?
Most importantly, are you willing to accept the impact this career will have on your personal life?
If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then you may be suited for a job with Roanoke County Emergency Communications Center. Please apply online and come to our next initial screening day to learn more about what it takes to Answer the Call.