FIRE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF TRAINING
The Communication Centre is the first point of contact for the public with the Fire Service. It manages the communication interface with the Fire Service operational units. Typically this is initiated when a member of the public makes a 111 call to notify an emergency event requiring Fire Service assistance.
Fire Service calls, along with private alarm activations, will be answered by staff in three combined Police / Fire Service communications centres around the country (Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch).
Communicators operate in a 24/7 Emergency Service environment. Working in a small close-knit team, their primary responsibility is to receive emergency 111 and administration calls and to dispatch appropriate Fire Service responses to investigate and or to suppress any fire or other emergency.
The skills required to be a Fire Communicator are:
- A strong customer focus and a ‘can-do’ approach.
- Proven communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to remain calm in an emergency.
- Excellent Listening Skills
- Excellent attention to detail and the ability to perform multiple tasks under pressure.
- A high level of computer literacy with a preferred typing speed of at least 45wpm.
- A good geographic knowledge of New Zealand.
Upon selection as a Fire Communicator will undergo an Induction into the Fire Service and then attend a two-week Calltaking Course, which introduces them to the skills required to take Emergency 111 Calls and enter these into the computer system. Computer and mapping skills are a major component of this course. On successfully completing this course the trainees then return to the Communications Centre where they will be assigned a mentor who will assist them to consolidate the skills learned. During this period the trainee Fire Communicator will be taking live calls both 111 and administration calls for a period of four weeks.
Following the Calltaking mentoring period the trainees return to the classroom and begin dispatcher training which is solely computer based. This two-week course teaches the trainees how to dispatch Fire Appliances to emergencies. The also learn the skills required to provide escalating resources to major emergency incidents. Upon completion of this course the trainees once again return to their centres for further mentoring.
Once the trainees are competent in both Calltaking and Dispatching they undertake an assessment and then are able to operate stand alone on shift.
On going training is provided and Fire Communicators currently have a progression system built around completing NZQA unit standards and length of service. Within a three year period Fire Communicators will have completed the NZQA Level 3 Certificate in Contact Centre Operations.
