Data Analyst - Fire & EMS

Major Duties and Responsibilities

The Data Analyst works under the general direction of the Business Analyst but resides within the EMS Division. This is a civilian (non-sworn) position within the Fire-EMS Department. The Data Analyst is responsible for using information systems and data analysis methods and techniques to query, analyze, and present data to assist the Fire-EMS Department in reporting and developing periodic reports, strategic plans, and standards of cover documents. The Data Analyst will have broad visibility in all areas of department operations with the goal to provide data analysis and interpretation to enhance organizational operations. General responsibilities include the development, implementation and management of programs and systems that:

• Support high performance strategies to meet the organizational needs.
• Promote organizational mission, vision and values throughout the department.
• Facilitate the execution of the vision and direction of the Fire Chief and the best interests of the Fire-EMS Department and the Columbus Consolidated Government (CCG).

The Data Analyst will work closely across divisions to transform raw information into actionable intelligence that improves operational efficiency, strategic planning, and community outcomes. This position directly supports leadership decision-making and enhances service delivery through evidence-based practices. The Data Analyst has the following primary core roles:

• Analyze response times, turnout times, incident types, and unit availability to identify inefficiencies and recommend deployment adjustments.
• Forecast call volume trends to support demand-based station siting, peak staffing needs, and fleet management.
• Use spatial and historical data to identify high-risk populations, properties, and areas.
• Evaluate the impact of CRR initiatives (i.e., Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) programs).
• Develop dashboards and heat maps for targeted prevention strategies.
• Monitor patient care trends, high utilizers, transport times, and clinical metrics to support EMS QA/QI.
• Analyze MIH program data to demonstrate ROI and impact on system load.
• Build and maintain interactive dashboards, scorecards, and automated reports using tools like Power BI and ArcGIS.
• Integrate data from CAD, NERIS, RMS, EPCR, GIS, and HR systems for a comprehensive performance view.
• Enhance situational awareness during large-scale events or special operations through real-time data feeds.
• Justify funding requests with data-backed performance metrics and outcome projections.
• Track and report on grant-funded initiatives, ensuring compliance and demonstrating success.
• Support partnerships with partner agencies by sharing interoperable data.
• Contribute to public transparency by providing clear, digestible visuals of department performance.

Duties:

• Attend internal/external meetings – Attend and participate in a variety of meetings (staff meetings, accreditation consortium meetings, CCG meetings, stakeholder meetings) representing the interests of the Fire Department.
• Routine interaction with other internal/external organizational members - Interact and work collaboratively with internal/external stakeholders to further the mission, vision, values and initiatives of the department on a regular basis.
• Maintain and expand job knowledge, skills, and abilities – Consistently engage in proactive efforts to identify innovative and progressive ways to engage organizational challenges and opportunities.
• Prepare and deliver written reports, correspondence and other materials – Craft and deliver letters, memos, reports, and other correspondence to members of the department’s executive team, the CCG, or the public. Review and evaluate reports for accuracy and completeness. Provide regular and consistent information to internal/external stakeholders pertaining to organizational initiatives.
• Develop business intelligence on departmental programs – Identify, visualize and monitor performance metrics for the different divisions of the Fire Department.
• Accreditation management – Work closely with the organization’s accrediting entities and managers ensuring compliance with annual reporting requirements as well as re-accreditation efforts.
• Develop data reporting tools – Utilizes available technology to develop & maintain organizational dashboards to support program management, review and modification. Ensures developed tools support executive staff efforts to maintain situational awareness of operational and organizational efforts in real-time.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• Two to four years of professional experience in data analysis, business intelligence, or performance analytics, preferably in a public safety, healthcare, or government environment.
• Demonstrated experience working with large datasets and/or real-time data including CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch), RMS (Records Management Systems), EMS/transport data, or similar operational data sources.
• Proficiency in data analysis and business intelligence tools such as Power BI and SQL; ability to build, maintain, and interpret dashboards, reports, and data visualizations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated experience managing and executing complex planning, research, and analytical projects from inception through delivery, with minimal supervision.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present data-driven findings clearly to department leadership, elected officials, and the public.
• Strong attention to detail with a commitment to data accuracy, integrity, and consistency.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced Excel skills, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science, information systems, statistics, data science, or a closely related field. Applicant must be either a U.S. citizen or resident alien eligible to work in the United States. Must successfully pass a drug screening and extensive background check.

Preferred Qualifications:

Prior experience working in a Fire Service, EMS, or public safety environment. Experience supporting or preparing documentation related to Fire Service accreditation processes, such as CPSE/Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) standards. Experience with ArcGIS (ESRI) or other GIS platforms, including spatial data analysis, mapping, and geographical incident reporting.

Special Note: This is an on-site position located at the Columbus Fire-EMS Department Headquarters.

Performance Standards:

Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the organization through work behaviors demonstrating the Department’s values. Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics; carry out a continuous effort to improve operations, work processes; and, work cooperatively and collaboratively to support a data-driven and customer-focused service.