Comm. Op. Trainee Exam (60-Control/WCPD)

[x242Steve 1]

Last Filing Date: 7/21/08

Exam #: 60-340

Exam Date: 9/6/08

Full Info: http://www.westchestergov.com/csexam/exann...exams/60340.htm

[PC_420 28]

Ha is it sad that after 3 years here, I am still going to take this test.

[CAM502 6]

HMMM...how many spots are open at 60?? I know WCPD has a few open.

[Guest]

Waste of time and way to political!

[DES630 10]

Waste of time and way to political!

Just curious on why you say that?

[Guest]

send me a private message if your really that interested

[eckyphats 0]

Im sorry thats a horrible salary range

[JBE 328]

Pays better to start there than here. Top salary isn't as good as here.

[KRF178 49]

Sounds like sour grapes to me, the pay may not be the best...the job is what you make of it really. It's a government/civil service job, therefore in many opinions it can be all that bad...it's always worth the shot. Sure it has it's BS, but all jobs have that.

[ja3kfd 34]

Also have to remember they have not had a raise in 3 years, so when they do get it, all the pay scale should go up.

[ex-commish 490]

If I am not mistaken the county scale for the dispatchers is a grade 7. There are maintenance people who work for the county who make a grade 8 and 9. Dispatchers make life and death decisions and should be compensated better than what their present grade is now.

[DaRock98 76]

I think I am going to take a shot at it. Anyone else plan on taking the test?? Also anyone have any tips??

Edited July 2, 2008 by DaRock98

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Dont forget the salary range listed never includes night diff, holiday pay, Overtime that most dispatch centers have plenty of, emd pay if they do that, uniform allowance maybe....add 10,000 to each step is a good rule of thumb. Plus dont you guys at 60 work the 12 hour work chart, plenty of time off to do nothing, hang out at the firehouse and be a "day guy" or work another gig if you got one.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Ladder47

[DES630 10]

Leave the pay out and its a nice job. Yes we work 12 hours shifts 36 hour work week with rotating schedule. Every 5th week you are off 8 days. Nice perk if you work a "B" job. That is once you get put into a rotation. Now I wont complain about the pay there are worse paying jobs out there. Lets not forget all the people you get to meet from all the different departments.

[Oswegowind 17]

Since this test covers 2 jobs that someone in the County thinks are the same, but aren't nearly, I will chime in. I worked at the County Police for 1 year and then left for Yonkers. These 2 positions are apples and oranges and one is definitely better than the other. I believe someone on this site actually did both...

60 control has a better schedule, less work load regularly, better benefits (meaning extras) and everyone in the room is on the same playing field other than the civilian supervisor who is just that, a civilian supervisor.

County Police follows a rotating chart in which you work a set of days, evenings, and then nights or vice versa unless that has changed. Even if you are EMD qualified/certified you can only get the "bonus" if you work at the DES (60 control) which is plain ridiculous if they are truely the same job. There is more forcible overtime at the County Police which means if you have plans in the summer, you may not get to act on them. Don't get me wrong here, the people at the County Police were great to work with, even the cops and police supervisors, but it is not an even playing field mixing the civilians and cops. Also, the work load daily between dispatching and nyspin duties as well as people calling in and off shift at outlying posts is heavy.

However, if I had had a choice, I still would have chosen the Police over 60 because that is more what I was interested in at the time. Now, I might want a break...and technically I have only been doing this for 4 1/2 years.

And once again, good luck to the union members here, I hope you guys do get a fair contract from the county sometime soon!

[x635 4,066]

60 Control does not pay enough, even with differentials and overtime, to live in the Hudson Valley. Most of the dispatchers at 60 Control are forced to work a second job or have a spouse work full time to put a meal on their family's table. In the Metro NY area, the salary is on the poverty line, IMO. Absolutely ridiculous.

With that being said, the schedule is one of the best I've ever seen. The staff at 60 Control are making strides compared to years past, putting such things as the new Fieldcom into place, and starting planning for an expanded dispatch facility. The staff at 60 Control is one of the most talented, caring, and generous groups of people I've ever had the privledge of working with.

They're constantly and unfairly dumped on, placed at fault for issues way beyond their control. It's by far one of the most complicated and draining places I've ever worked. They have a tough, tough job, and many people don't know all that goes into it. They work tirelessly for little or often no thanks or appreciation. Some people can't cut it and quit, and some burnout or can't afford to work there, and that's why turnover is so high. However, you do have senior people their that do have a wealth of experience and knowledge, and dedication to the quality of 60 Control.

The future looks bright, however I would love to see 60 Control dump CSEA and go with a union that truly has a dispatcher's needs in mind. Yes, there are Westchester County politics in play, but it's no different then any other county in the area. HFD219 hit the nail on the head on this issue.

I HIGHLY reccomend the test to anyone who is interested in a career in Emergency Communications. DO NOT take this test as a "stepping stone" to becoming a firefighter or cop, this is a job and if you're going to go into it, go into it wanting the job.

Also, if the voting public, and elected officials (meaning career and volunteer chiefs and commissioners), continue to remain apathetic about the critical link, the real first responders, that save lives every day yet are never in the limelight, then I doubt anything will change.

60 Control had a huge impact on my life, and it was a great job- it's too bad I didn't realize it while I was there. Looking back, dispatching is even more rewarding and more challenging then being a firefighter. I was one of the first hired during the "Henry Campbell Revolution". I'm very appreciative of the lessons I learned their, and the friends I made there who continue to support me to this day like family. The only thing I hated about the job was the mandatory holdovers due to understaffing.

[CAM502 6]

Since this test covers 2 jobs that someone in the County thinks are the same, but aren't nearly, I will chime in. I worked at the County Police for 1 year and then left for Yonkers. These 2 positions are apples and oranges and one is definitely better than the other. I believe someone on this site actually did both...

60 control has a better schedule, less work load regularly, better benefits (meaning extras) and everyone in the room is on the same playing field other than the civilian supervisor who is just that, a civilian supervisor.

County Police follows a rotating chart in which you work a set of days, evenings, and then nights or vice versa unless that has changed. Even if you are EMD qualified/certified you can only get the "bonus" if you work at the DES (60 control) which is plain ridiculous if they are truely the same job. There is more forcible overtime at the County Police which means if you have plans in the summer, you may not get to act on them. Don't get me wrong here, the people at the County Police were great to work with, even the cops and police supervisors, but it is not an even playing field mixing the civilians and cops. Also, the work load daily between dispatching and nyspin duties as well as people calling in and off shift at outlying posts is heavy.

However, if I had had a choice, I still would have chosen the Police over 60 because that is more what I was interested in at the time. Now, I might want a break...and technically I have only been doing this for 4 1/2 years.

And once again, good luck to the union members here, I hope you guys do get a fair contract from the county sometime soon!

You are not kidding man...the WCPD dispatchers get the raw end of the deal. They really need to get out of CSEA and go somewhere else. The don't even have a rep on the bargaining committee. The people negotiating their salary don't know their job nor do they care about the hours or stuff they deal with. Not to mention they have to report to a different "boss" everyday which is a real pain the rear.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Im surprised they dont have a rep for bargaining. Nassau County is part of the CSEA and the Nassau County Fire Rescue Services which is made up of 2 divisions the Fire Marshals office and the Fire Communications office, both have a rep that sits down when contracts are being done. I believe Suffolk county is the same. I have no idea what it would take but there are more then enough dispatchers in NY state to form a pretty strong (numbers wise) separate dispatchers union.

Edited July 5, 2008 by Ladder47

[CAM502 6]

You gonna organize it.....lol. I know I don't have the time with my two jobs and all...lol!

[JM15 386]

Does anyone know where to find the application?

[Mofire24 27]

I have been working for the county almost 8 years not a political job. A job is what you make of it. some people cause there own problems in there working environment. There isnt that much forcible overtime with county PD I havent been forced in sometime.

[CAM502 6]

Does anyone know where to find the application?

County building in white plains...civil serivce office (HR).

[gamewell45 258]

Im surprised they dont have a rep for bargaining. Nassau County is part of the CSEA and the Nassau County Fire Rescue Services which is made up of 2 divisions the Fire Marshals office and the Fire Communications office, both have a rep that sits down when contracts are being done. I believe Suffolk county is the same. I have no idea what it would take but there are more then enough dispatchers in NY state to form a pretty strong (numbers wise) separate dispatchers union.

Good luck finding another major labor union to join if you leave CSEA. As part of AFSCME they are a member of the AFL-CIO, and as such the "three year rule" applies before you can either join or affiliate with another labor union thats part of the AFL-CIO, unless you form your own independent union or association.

If you form an independent union the start up costs fall soley on the shoulders of the members and once you find out what the start costs will run you, you'll have second thoughts unless the membership is around 2,000 or more.

I'm not familiar with the CSEA union nor how they operate, however if your shop prepares a list of issues that they find troublesome and approach the local Executive Board to discuss it, many of the issues might be rectified to the satisfaction of the membership; eitherway its best to try to work for change from within if its at all possible.

[ex-commish 490]

Good luck finding another major labor union to join if you leave CSEA. As part of AFSCME they are a member of the AFL-CIO, and as such the "three year rule" applies before you can either join or affiliate with another labor union thats part of the AFL-CIO, unless you form your own independent union or association.

If you form an independent union the start up costs fall soley on the shoulders of the members and once you find out what the start costs will run you, you'll have second thoughts unless the membership is around 2,000 or more.

I'm not familiar with the CSEA union nor how they operate, however if your shop prepares a list of issues that they find troublesome and approach the local Executive Board to discuss it, many of the issues might be rectified to the satisfaction of the membership; eitherway its best to try to work for change from within if its at all possible.

This is not a crack on CSEA but the problem is they represent a wide variety of the labor force. The issues and stress a dispatcher may have is not the same as a secretary, plumber or custodian. We were part of CSEA many years ago ( before I was hired) and chose to go on our own and for the most part it has worked out fine.

[DES630 10]

Does anyone know where to find the application?

Here you go

http://www.westchestergov.com/csexam/exann...exams/60340.htm

[dadbo46 50]

Im sorry thats a horrible salary range

See note 2 in the job announcement:

"NOTE#2: Upon completion of the one-year trainee period and successful completion of a minimum twelve-week probationary period from the eligible list, a trainee may be promoted to Communication Operator without further examination."

Communications Operator Trainee is a Job Group VI. Communications Operator is a Job Group VII. The salary range for JG VII is $ 36620 - $ 45,095. Assume a union settlement of 3% a year and top pay should be around $ 50K without OT.

[ems-buff 81]

Well Let's try it again. May the second time is the charm. I was really nervous the first time around. Now I know what to expect.

[BFD1054 1,552]

First off, good luck to anyone who plans on taking this exam!

Ive never worked at 60, but have plenty of friends who do. I have however, worked at WCPD and Somers FD as a dispatcher. I think the guys and gals at 60 and WCPD do a hell of a job, hands down. As most of you stated, it is a high-paced, stressful job with alot being thrown on your lap. I agree with Oswegowind in that PD & Fire/EMS dispatching is a while different ballgame all together.

I took the Comm. Op. Trainee exam when i was like 18 i guess. A few of my friends were taking it (one who is still at 60 & one at WCPD) and talked me into it. Back then i wanted to become a cop and wanted nothing to do with dispatching. Goes back to what Seth said, you must want to do it lol. But my buddy said it'll be a great practice for taking civil service exams, as i hadnt taken one before that. Plus, i knew some people that worked at 60 and it seemed like a pretty good job, especially for an 18 year old.

So i signed up, took the exam and placed somewhere around 8th on the list. Truth be told, i had no idea that it was for WCPD as well as 60. That is until one day i came home to find my father with a Westchester County PD envelope in his hand asking me what i did lol. When i opened the letter, i realized that it was a canvass letter. I hadnt heard anything from 60, so i figured what the hell and i interviewed. Then i took the job, pretty quickly learning it wasnt for me. I was young, still somewhat immature and that mixed with the fact that i didnt like the job didnt help. I stayed for just under a year and resigned to return to college to pursue a career in law enforcement.

I must say that although i was not happy there, it was still a great learning experience and helped me grow. I met alot of great people from my fellow cicilian employees to the PO's to the bosses. Some of whom i still keep in contact with to this day.

My advice would be to take the exam if you truly want to be a dispatcher, but not to use as a foot in the door. Its not for everyone and it certainly is not an easy job. The exam isnt all that hard, in my opinion.

Listen to audio tapes and see if you can recall information from them and write it down as practice. Put some news articles next to a computer and see how fast and accurately you can type them up as practice for the typing portion of the exam.

Again, good luck to anyone taking this exam!

[DaRock98 76]

I plan on taking the test and thank you BFD for the tips.

[Medic347 1]

Guys, its been 11 years since i worked in Westchester. Going back those 11 years, i would still rather have the guys/gals at 60 control over ANY of the people i work with now in Minneapolis and i deal with a number of PSAPs. Remember, 11 years ago, dispatching was pretty basic then, EMD technology was in its infancy and well, the radios and communication in general weren't the best. However, these people here are so imcompetent and they have all the tools!! They hire anyone with out the slightest idea of what police, fire or EMS dispatching is and what it they are supposed to do. I listen to it all the time. Sometimes you cant even get an answer on the radio here.

60 may not be the best paying place, but it certainly is the place to learn how to do the job right and how to keep your people safe. Any chance some of them want to come here and help us out?

Steve