Event Health Services – Communications Officers
St John Ambulance is the largest and most comprehensive provider of First Aid & Event Health Services in Victoria. Our growing membership consists of more than 2,000 Professional Volunteer Medics, Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics and has a team of dedicated Communication Officers supporting their event & emergency management activities.
Communications Officers operate our advanced statewide radio network from Communications Centres across the state, our mobile Command & Communications vehicles or St John field control centres at major venues & events.
REGISTER TO BECOME A COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Please note: This role requires training only available in the Melbourne Metro & Outer Metro areas.
Complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) form to get started.
If you are interested in joining St John as a volunteer first aider/medic, please apply directly here.
About the Role
As a St John Communications Officer, you will support our infield resources including Response Crews, Healthcare Professionals, Field Hospitals, and Command teams by operating our communications equipment & Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems. Communications Officers ensure that we provide best practice services and have the fastest and most appropriate response times to patients needing care.
Your roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following duties:
- Operating our statewide radio network
- Using CAD software to record and manage cases and crew movements
- Recording crew movements to and from events, emergencies, and depots
- Dispatching crews to patients, gaining situation reports and dispatching assistance if required
- Supporting Command teams to ensure adequate resource coverage
- Providing Communications support in times of emergency, such as bushfires and health emergencies
Comprehensive training is provided, and no previous training or experience is required for this role.
Types of Communication Roles
There are two roles available as a Communications Officer.
Communications Officer (Centres) – Mount Waverley
This role operates from our principal State Communications Centre, located at St John Headquarters, Mount Waverley. This role is focused on coordinating our divisions & regions to ensure they supported at hundreds of events each week, as well as recording crew movements to and from events. Opportunities will exist to upskill Officers to run Major Events coordinated from Mount Waverley.
This role primarily operates during the day on weekends, however additional opportunities for shifts are available on public holidays and during times of emergency.
No First Aid Certificate is required for this role, but it is preferred, and can be obtained if desired free of charge from St John after recruitment.
Minimum Requirements: Successful completion of Communications Officer Skills Assessment (including basic computer literacy and typing test), Working with Children Check and Criminal Record Check
Communications Officer (Centres & Field) – Various
This role operates either from our State Communications Centre in Mount Waverley, or on site at our various major events and venues from field control centres. This role is focused on providing Communications support to our major event deployments and involves the use of CAD software.
Minimum Requirements: Successful completion of Communications Officer Skills Assessment (including basic computer literacy and typing test), Working with Children Check, Criminal Record Check, and willingness to undertake a First Aid Certificate (provided by St John free of charge after recruitment).
How to Become a Communications Officer
Below is the application process for becoming a Communications Officer with St John Ambulance Victoria.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAM
| Level | Detail |
|
Level 1 |
The foundation of our training. Our Communications Centre-based training program – provides operators with practical and theoretical training and experience to operate routine traffic out of our State Communications Centre in Mount Waverley. |
|
Level 2 |
Basic event-level training program – provides operators with the skills and experience required to operate at low-to-moderate workload events, such as sporting matches at our Major Venues. |
| Level 3 | Advanced event-level training program – provides operators with further training relevant to operating at high-workload events, including some of Victoria’s largest and highest profile Major Events. |
|
Level 4 |
The highest level of operator training, which provides selected operators with the experience to operate at the most complex and highest risk events on the calendar including major multi-day music festivals and potentially very-high workload events. |
Communications Officers are not required to complete all levels. You will start at Level 1 and progress with time and experience to the highest level you wish to achieve. Levels 3 and 4 are not for everyone and not all Communications Officers will attain these.
If you have selected the Communications Officers (Centres) pathway, you are only required to achieve and maintain a Level 1 qualification, however there may be opportunities for future development if desired.
Valuing our Volunteers
St John has developed a Volunteer Agreement within which we highlight our commitment to our volunteers and what we require of them in return, by way of;
- Event attendance
- Training and qualifications
- Communication
- Fitness for duty
- Pre membership checks