News and Articles
07/20/2022
County Announces Higher Salaries, Recuitment Incentives and Rapid Hire Events for 911 Dispatchers
Santa Fe County Announces Higher Salaries, Recruitment Incentives and Rapid Hire Events for 911 Dispatchers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 19, 2022
SANTA FE – The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) of Santa Fe County (County) approved new salaries for employees of the Santa Fe Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC), which provides 911 services Countywide. Under the pay plan negotiated with the union representing employees:
- Starting pay for Emergency Communication Specialist Trainees is $19.50 per hour;
- Starting pay for Emergency Communication Specialist Is is $20.50 per hour, increasing to $21.3308 with 5 years of experience above the minimum qualifications;
- Starting pay for Emergency Communication Specialist IIs is $22.75 per hour, increasing to $23.9064 with 5 years of experience above the minimum qualifications; and
- Starting pay for Emergency Communication Specialist IIIs is $25.25 per hour, increasing to $26.5334 with 5 years of experience above the minimum qualifications.
These significant raises are in addition to an existing recruitment incentive for Emergency Communication Specialist I, II, and IIIs, which provides new employees with temporary recruitment incentives of 2% of the employees gross wages earned over the first 22 pay periods that they are employed with the County.
“911 dispatchers are the critical first link between the public and emergency responders,” RECC Interim Director Roberto Lujan explained. “Beyond providing critical public service to our community at competitive salaries with generous retirement and other benefits, 911 dispatcher trainees receive on the job training through which they receive certifications that make them employable for life.”
Emergency Communications Specialist Trainees require no certifications or experience. The minimum qualifications for the position are a high school diploma or equivalent and being 18 years of age within 6 months of hire.
“Because we provide all of the necessary training on the job, 911 dispatcher is a great opportunity for someone looking to switch careers or someone just starting out in the job market,” Director Lujan said. “Our new pay scale coupled with our existing recruitment incentive also makes us an attractive employer for experienced dispatchers, who we encourage to apply.”
Rapid hire events every Thursday beginning July 21 and ending on Thursday, August 25, 2022, mean it has never been easier to get a job offer in this public safety field.
“Persons interested in being a 911 dispatcher should arrive by 8:15 a.m. on Thursdays at the Human Resources and Risk Management Division located at 102 Grant Avenue, Santa Fe, N.M.,” Human Resources and Risk Management Director Sonya M. Quintana said. “Our hope is to make contingent job offers to those who successfully complete the process by mid-afternoon each Thursday.”
The schedule for these rapid hire events are as follows:
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. – Virtual Orientation
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Testing
11:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. – Complete Application and Break
12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Virtual Interviews
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For more information, please contact Interim RECC Director Roberto Lujan at rjlujan@santafecountynm.gov or 505-992-3096.