AMBULANCE DISPATCHER

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER: Y5068L

FILING START DATE

The application filing period will begin on May 28, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) - Continuous.

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

We encourage applications from everyone.

We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

WHY WORK FOR US?

LA Health Services is LA County’s integrated healthcare system and the second-largest public health system in the nation. Our system includes four public hospitals, more than 20 community health centers, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Correctional Health Services, and community-based programs that connect people to care where they are.

We serve as the safety net for more than 10 million residents, providing care regardless of ability to pay, insurance coverage, or immigration status. As one connected system, we deliver extraordinary care-from prevention and primary care to emergency, specialty, trauma, and recovery services across Los Angeles County.

With more than 2.9 million visits annually and a workforce of over 23,000 dedicated staff, LA Health Services is proud to deliver high-quality, compassionate, and accessible care to everyone, no matter how they come through our doors.

Explore our one system of hospitals and community health centers: Our Locations - Health Services Los Angeles County

MISSION:

To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care.

What does an Ambulance Dispatcher do?
Dispatches ambulances, vans, and other vehicles to transport patients to and from County and non-County hospitals and institutions.

Check Out Our Outstanding Benefits! CLICK HERE to see a list of employee benefits!

Essential Job Functions

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN AMBULANCE DISPATCHER:
Determines which patients to transport separately and the priority for picking up patients at hospitals, convalescent care facilities, and patients' residences for transportation by ambulance by reviewing the routes and departure times of ambulances to estimate if any are near the patient's location to a County hospital for admittance, based on consideration of diagnoses ranging from less severe to more critical such as diabetic coma, drug overdose, or accident injuries.

Determines which calls to assign private ambulance companies, considering such factors as the patient's diagnosis, the trip distance, the availability of County ambulances, the total number of patients scheduled for transportation, and the need to use County ambulances to transport several patients on each trip.

Receives, writes, sorts, and time stamps calls for the transportation of patients to and from County and non-County hospitals and institutions by ambulance or van for admittance, outpatient clinic appointments, discharge, and the transfer from one building to another at a County hospital.

Groups calls to or from the same geographical area in Los Angeles County and surrounding counties into trips with varying numbers of patients, depending upon their diagnoses, and adds any calls for transportation to or from the hospital during their shift; and assigns trips to ambulance personnel.

Arranges, coordinates, and prioritizes transportation calls that are received by the Central Dispatch Office (CDO) of the EMS Ambulance Services section. This includes dispatching assignments to ambulance personnel made up of Ambulance Drivers and Ambulance Medical Technicians and communicating with facility staff. Enters data for tracking and adjudication of billing purposes.

Performs data entry and uses computer equipment.

Communicates with doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff to confirm or verify instructions in the transport of patients.

Decides whether or not to have a patient picked up by an ambulance en route by reviewing the routes and departure times of ambulances to estimate if any are near the patient's location and notifies the crew of an ambulance in the vicinity to pick up the patient.

Dispatches County or private ambulances to a breakdown or accident involving a County ambulance, or other transportation vehicle when necessary and sends a tow truck for the disabled County vehicle.

Trains dispatchers and other related personnel in the dispatch of ambulances, vans, and other vehicles to transport patients to and from County and non-County hospitals and institutions as assigned.

In the event of a major emergency or disaster, participates as a member of the Departmental Operations Center as needed.

Transmits and receives coded, conventional messages and overflow calls via voice and video communication links with private contract ambulance providers.

Uses telephones, radios, and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems extensively to coordinate ambulance services. When County resources are unavailable or lack the required capabilities (e.g., Critical Care Transport [CCT] or Advanced Life Support [ALS] level services), arranges for transportation through contracted private ambulance providers.

Selects and notifies the appropriate contracted private ambulance company for each transport assignment, ensuring a balanced distribution of calls among providers; and evaluates staffing levels and available vehicle resources to determine the need for overtime coverage when transportation personnel are absent.

Calls in the appropriate relief crew employees, if needed.

Requirements

REQUIRMENTS TO QUAILFY:

One (1) year of experience at the level of Ambulance Medical Technician* providing assistance to patients being transported to and from hospitals or other medical facilities**

*Experience at the level of Ambulance Medical Technician is defined as: attends to patients being transported to and from County or non-County hospitals or institutions by ambulance on emergency and non-emergency calls and is responsible for the patients' safety en-route.

**Other medical facilities are defined as an urgent care center or a clinic.

No out of class experience or withholds are allowed for this examination. Required experience must be fully met at the time of filing and clearly indicated on the application.

PHYSICAL CLASS 2 - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

Additional credit will be given to applicants that possess the following desirable qualifications:

Six (6) months of experience performing one or more of the following:

• Experience dispatching ambulances using Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software***
• Experience in computer data entry****

A valid and active certificate***** in any of the following courses:

• Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Certificate *****
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate *****
• Emergency Telecommunicators (ETC) Certificate *****

***Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) software is a digital system used by emergency services and other dispatch-driven organizations to manage and optimize the process of receiving, processing, and responding to calls for service.

****Computer data entry is defined as: Practical knowledge and skills gained from performing data input, management, and related tasks using computer systems and software. It encompasses the ability to accurately and efficiently enter data, verify its accuracy, maintain records, and potentially handle related tasks like data cleaning, validation, and interpretation.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

*****In order to receive credit for education/trainings/coursework, you MUST attach a legible copy of your " official" diploma, "official" transcripts, "official" letter, and/or training certificate(s) which shows the area of specialization at the time of filing. If unable to attach supporting documents at the time of filing, email the documents to Melissa Saem at msaem@dhs.lacounty.gov within seven (7) calendar days of filing your online application or you will not receive credit. Please include your name (as it appears on your online application), the examination title and number in the subject of your email.
The license/certificate(s) must be current and unrestricted; conditional, provisional, or restricted license/certificate(s) will NOT be accepted.

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT:

This examination will consist of an Evaluation of Training & Experience (T&E): This assessment type will evaluate the training and experience you list on the online application and supplemental questionnaire and assign a score based on a standardized scoring system. This part of the assessment is worth 100% of your total score and assesses: Requirements, Desirable Qualifications, and Supplemental Questionnaire.
Applicants must receive a passing score of 70% or higher on the assessment to be added to the list.

ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
Applications will be processed as they are received and added to the list accordingly.

Applicants who passed the assessment(s) are placed on a list for a period of twelve (12) months. We will use this list to fill vacancies in the Department of Health Services as they occur.

SPECIAL INFORMATION
Appointees may be required to work any shift , including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION
We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.

Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification. Comments such as “See Resume” or referencing other unsolicited materials/documents will not be considered a response.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Please refer to their website for updated information https://lacountylibrary.org/library-locator .

NO SHARING OF USER ID, E-MAIL, AND PASSWORD
All applicants must file their application using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI)
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Melissa Saem, Exam Analyst
(213) 288-7000
msaem@dhs.lacounty.gov

CALIFORNIA RELAY SERVICES PHONE :
(800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

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• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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