WESCOM Overview

The Western Will County Communications Center (WESCOM) was established in 1992 under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act 5/ILCS 220. It is a stand-alone unit of local government and a special unit of local government.

WESCOM is one of three 9-1-1 Centers in Will County, Illinois, and is the 5th-largest 9-1-1 Center in the State of Illinois by population served, serving approximately 305,000 residents. We cover 21 police and fire agencies, including Bolingbrook Fire and Police, Braidwood Fire and Police, Channahon Fire and Police, Crest Hill Police, Elwood Fire and Police, Homer Fire, Lockport Fire and Police, Minooka Fire, Northwest Homer Fire, Plainfield Fire and Police, Rockdale Fire, Shorewood Police, Troy Fire, and Wilmington Fire and Police. WESCOM covers jurisdictions in Will, Cook, DuPage, Kendall, and Grundy Counties. WESCOM employs, on average, forty full-time employees and nine part-time employees.

911 Telecommunicator Role
A 911 telecommunicator is the critical first contact for emergencies, answering calls, gathering vital information calmly, prioritizing needs, and dispatching first responders via radio while providing support.

Responsibilities of a 911 Telecommunicator

• Answer incoming emergency and routine assitance calls;
• Dispatch emergency respassistanceonse personnel, including law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical professionals;
• Receive and accurately relay information and requests for the communications center;
• Provide Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) instructions;
• Enter data into WESCOM and State computer databases;
• Operate radio and telecommunication systems, including computer-aided dispatching (CAD) equipment, telephone devices for the deaf (TDD/TTY), fax machines, and telephones;
• Maintain knowledge of current communication policies and procedures;
• Maintain knowledge of local, state, and national dispatch standards;
• Participate in ongoing training;
• Activate emergency warning notifications;
• Perform clerical and general office functions;
• Provide court testimony as required;
• Monitor bank, business, and residential alarms;
• Operate LEADS system in accordance with the FBi's Criminal Justice Information Services Division standards.

All training requirements are performed during work hours and are paid for by WESCOM.

Qualifications
Required:

• Must be at least 18 years of age at the date of hire;
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• Must be legally eligible to be employed in the United States;
• Must not have ever been convicted of a felony;
• Must be proficient in the English language;
• Must have the ability to work any shift, including weekdays, weekends, and holidays;
• Must have a valid state ID or driver's license for IDPH licensure requirements.

Preferred:

• Strong multi-tasking, analytical, and logical problem-solving skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work one-on-one, in a group environment, and both in-person and through communication systems.

Compensation and Benefits
Benefits and salary are subject to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which expires April 30, 2028.

• Salary: From trainee level of $63,789 - $91,998+, with opportunity for overtime pay.
  • Those with prior full-time telecommunicator experience may be eligible to move to a higher pay step upon completion of training.
• Pension: Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund
• Health Insurance:
  • BlueCross BlueShield HMO or PPO
  • Humana Vision & Dental PPO
  • $75,000 employer-sponsored life insurance
  • Effective date of hire
• Paid Holidays: 11 days with overtime and double-time pay for holidays worked
• Vacation: Between 80 hours and 200 hours based on years of service at WESCOM
• Other Paid-Time Off: Two personal days each calendar year, eligibility to earn perfect attendance days, opportunity to convert overtime pay into compensatory time off, and 96 sick hours earned each year.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Must be able to work in-person in a call center environment;
• Must have 20/20 vision (or correctable to 20/20 vision);
• Must be able to hear out of both ears in the normal range of 30 DB at 500 to 2000 Hz range;
• Must be capable of sitting for long periods of time;
• Must be able to wear a headset;
• Must be able to have a range of motion to the extent that allows the employee to type and activate radio and phone systems.

Hours of Work

• Rotation of 8 to 10-hour shifts, 4 days on/2 days off, with a maximum of 12 hours with overtime;
• Shift hours range from 0700 - 1500, 1500 - 2300, and 2300 - 0700, with shift bidding in accordance with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Hiring Process

• Applicants must attend WESCOM's orientation and take the initial dispatching application test on-site.
• Upon receiving test scores, WESCOM will contact eligible applicants to schedule an in-person interview and perform a typing test.
• Applicants will have a background check and criminal history check performed.
• Eligible applicants will be required to take a polygraph on-site.
• After receiving a conditional offer, eligible applicants will be required to take a psychological evaluation (virtual) and a pre-employment physical (off-site).

WESCOM pays for all pre-employment testing.