Job Summary:
The LIFE FORCE Emergency Communications Specialist at Erlanger serves as a central communication hub supporting air medical flight operations, event medicine and special operations teams, regional medical coordination (MedComm), and Erlanger's emergency and disaster response efforts. This role operates within a highly technical, regional communications center and facilitates communication both internally across Erlanger and externally with EMS and healthcare partners. The position requires flexibility, including variable shifts (nights, weekends, and holidays), routine on-call responsibilities, and potential field response through deployment of a mobile communications unit.
In support of Flight Operations, the specialist coordinates air medical transport requests from 911 centers and hospitals across the southeastern region. Responsibilities include collaborating with pilots and transport teams to monitor weather and navigation systems, ensuring safe patient transfers, providing flight-following in accordance with FAA Part 135 regulations, coordinating aircraft movements at the Erlanger Heliport, and maintaining real-time communication with aircraft and emergency responders. The specialist also facilitates interoperable communication plans for each mission.
For Event Medicine and Special Operations, the specialist establishes and manages communications for LIFE FORCE event teams, special operations units, and regional tactical (SWAT) medical teams. This includes coordinating communication among field teams, law enforcement liaisons, and Erlanger medical staff during deployments and on-scene operations.
Within Regional Medical Control and Coordination (MedComm), the specialist manages communication between EMS providers and hospitals throughout Tennessee EMS Region 3 and surrounding areas. Duties include facilitating radio and telephone medical control between prehospital providers and physicians and coordinating EMS resources during routine and large-scale events. The role also supports mass casualty and disaster response by coordinating resources, engaging mutual aid partners, and managing communication and deployment efforts in collaboration with the State Emergency Operations Center and Tennessee Division of EMS.
For Erlanger Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, the specialist acts as a key coordination point between emergency management, the Safety Officer, the EHS Command Center, and external responders. Responsibilities include coordinating response and recovery resources, activating system-wide emergency alerts, managing inbound emergency traffic, and ensuring effective, interoperable communication across all responding agencies.
Education:
Required:
Graduate of an EMT-Basic, Advanced EMT, or EMT-Paramedic Program
Preferred:
Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certificate preferred
APCO Certified Public Safety Telecommunicator preferred
Associate or bachelor's degree
Experience:
Required:
- A minimum of two (2) years public safety field experience or two (2) years emergency communications center or emergency operations center experience.
- Experience must reflect general knowledge in pre-hospital EMS practice and skills or pre-hospital incident command system operations and management;
- Knowledge of current trends and new developments, principles and practices of emergency communications and pre-hospital medicine, applicable to those areas requiring special education.
Preferred:
- Call Center, 911 Center and/or air medical communications experience
- Supervisory experience in EMS or other public safety discipline
- Experience with computer aided dispatch programs, automatic vehicle location tracking systems, electronic patient care record systems or electronic health record systems.
- Experience working in a hospital emergency department or other healthcare outpatient setting
Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration
Required:
- Current licensure to practice as an EMT-Basic, Advanced EMT or EMT-Paramedic in the State of Tennessee.
- Current BLS certification prior to going to unit/department and maintained going forward.
- Certified Flight Communicator certification (within 1 yr of employment)
- FEMA ICS Courses: ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, ICS-800 level courses (within 60 days of employment)
- Valid Driver's License
Preferred:
- Nationally Registered AEMT or EMT-P
- ITLS or PHTLS
- PALS or PEPP and ACLS
- FEMA ICS Courses: ICS-300, ICS-400
- FEMA Communications Unit Leader (COML) Certification
Department Position Summary:
The Emergency Communications Specialist:
- Must have a working knowledge and operational understanding of guidelines and procedures for coordinating both local and regional emergency medical service (air and ground) responses and radio traffic.
- Must accurately develop flight and communications plans for air medical transport:
o Accurately utilize mapping resources to locate remote locations for safe rotor wing aircraft landing zones
o Create computer-aided dispatch records that accurately reflect the pickup and destination of patients for scene flights and hospital transfers
o Effectively implement an interoperable communications plan for each flight
- Must accurately maintain federal, state, local, Med-Trans and EHS records and documentation:
o FAR Part 135 Aircraft Flight Following Reports
o Loaded Mileage, physician information and demographics data necessary for accurate patient billing
o Accurately recording time-stamped transactions throughout the patient acceptance and transport
- Functions as the FAR Part 135 Operator's designated Flight Follower on all air medical missions
o Effectively tracks airborne aircraft using automated tracking services as available as well as manual position reporting as designed by the Part 135 operations specifications
o Maintains appropriate documentation for identification of persons on board the aircraft for flights operating under Part 135.
o Accurately locates overdue aircraft using mapping and tracking resources
o Effectively implements the Post-Accident Incident Plan (PAIP) for conditions appropriate for activation under the Part 135 operator specifications
- Maintains safe and effective operations of the Erlanger Heliport (0TN8):
o Effectively coordinating take-off and landing information for aircraft arriving and departing from the 0TN8 heliport
o Coordinating communications and maintaining situational awareness of air medical aircraft inbound and outbound from the Memorial Hospital helipad (TN03) and Parkridge helipad.
o Establish and maintain communications with local law enforcement, government and private operators of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones; Tracking authorized operators (via NOTAM) as well as any reported unauthorized use of UAS within the Class C airspace for Chattanooga (KCHA) that would cause risk to air medical aircraft arriving or departing in the area of Erlanger's heliport or other hospital helipads.
- Must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide radio and telecommunications assistance, appropriate to the ages of the patients transported by the by ground and air medical services in the region. This knowledge will include:
o The principles of human growth and development, which will allow the Emergency Communications Specialist to assess and interpret data about the patient.
o Utilization of assessment data to provide age specific services as described in the Tennessee Trauma Destination Guidelines.
o Effective activation of the appropriate specialty care team(s) of the receiving hospital (Adult or Pediatric Trauma Team, Stroke Team, STEMI/Cath Lab, etc.)
- Functions as a liaison between EMS and hospital emergency departments for gathering and/or routing information necessary for continuity of patient care during transport. This includes:
o Routing of EMS field reports to the appropriate receiving facility via public safety radio systems, telephone systems or other technological means
o Receiving, coordinating, and completing Regional Medical Communications (MedComm) related records for quality assurance and quality of care
o Following written guidelines and protocols
o Facilitating the communications between medical control physicians and pre-hospital providers when requested and insuring the continuum of care through to the receiving facility
- Functions as a liaison for the Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Emergency Medical Services:
o As needed for facilitating EMS response to Mass Casualty Incidents, disaster assistance and mutual aid requests
o Provides incident updates to the regional EMS Consultant, State Emergency Operations Center and State EMS Director
o Provides coordination point for State EMS and Regional Hospital Coordinators in response to disasters or mass casualty incidents and large-scale planned events
- Establishes, coordinates and maintains communications for LIFE FORCE Event Medicine and Special Operations Team deployments and facilitates effective communications among and between teams, liaisons and physicians:
o Event Medical Teams and Ambulances responding to and assigned to public events in the region
o Sports Medicine Clinicians
o Tactical (SWAT) Medical Teams
o Fire Mutual Aid Response Teams
- Effectively manages high-volume communications during MCI events and/or internal EHS disasters and facilitates communications among and between the EHS Corporate Safety Officer, Emergency Managers, the EHS Command Center, emergency response agencies and regional Emergency Operations Centers.
- Works effectively and as a team member with other communications specialists, nurses and providers in the Erlanger Regional Operations Center (EROC)
- Assists with maintaining cleanliness, efficiency and mission-critical readiness of the EROC.
- Subject to be assigned to the field division as needed. Must also meet core competencies of Job Code #T3043 (EMT) or T3810 (EMTP).
- May serve as a preceptor for new employees in the EROC, new Flight Crews or others being oriented to the organization.
- Must dress according to the departmental and EHS policies regarding uniform and appearance.
- Represents LIFE FORCE, EROC and Erlanger while in uniform, as a duty assignment for tours and visitors to the EROC.
- Performance of other duties as assigned by the EROC Supervisor or Emergency Communications Manager.
