Firefighter (Basic Life Support)

Firefighter (Basic Life Support)

The primary purpose of the position is performing work to control and extinguish fires, rescue persons endangered by fire, and reduce or eliminate potential fire hazards. It also covers fire service positions that follow protocols in providing basic life support; performs emergency medical procedures that are non-invasive; performs fire protection inspector duties, including inspecting and testing fire protection equipment, training personnel in fire protection and prevention, operate fire communications equipment, and advice on improvements to structures for better fire prevention.

Major duties:

• Effectively controlling and extinguishing fires, operates various nozzles and hose lines, makes connections to, and operates fire hydrants, performs forcible entries, ventilates structures, carries, raises, and lowers ground ladders, performs, or assists in rescue operations, uses a variety of hand tools, hydraulic tools, portable fire extinguishers, and performs salvage and overhaul.
• Combats fires in residences, medical and psychological facilities, multiple story office buildings, industrial shops, warehouses, fuel storage areas, public assembly areas, and wildland areas.
• Responds to all emergency calls on Tomah VA Medical Center Grounds as well as requests for Mutual Aid by surrounding communities to extinguish fire when requested and approved by management.
• Operate pumps, foam generators, and other specialized firefighting equipment, determining proper pressures for the type of nozzle or equipment, size of hose, and distance to be covered.
• Provides medical care as a Basic Life Support/Emergency Medical Technician-(EMT) following TVAMC protocols and directives as outlined in MCP MS-03 in providing basic life support.
• Will employ a variety of established emergency medical techniques, methods, and equipment to stabilize the patient for transport.
• Independently performs fire inspection duties in areas where hazards are expected to be encountered. Incumbent inspects medical and psychological facilities, multiple story buildings, administrative buildings, public assemblies, industrial shops, warehouses and residential quarters for fire safety violations and other conditions contributing to more extensive fire hazards.
• Performs pre-incident planning by familiarizing themselves with the various buildings interiors and to locate any possible hazards as well as established fire protection systems. Conducts inspections on built-in fire protection features such as, but not limited to fire barriers, smoke barriers and fire doors.
• Conducts regularly scheduled and unscheduled inspections of all safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, fire doors, exits, stairways, indicator posts, standpipe systems, self-contained breathing masks, as well as special inspections to ensure equipment is always operational.
• Conducts general work planning daily, particularly in the areas of training and fire inspections. Reviews schedule to meet unexpected changes and duty assignments.
• Responsible for review, assessment, and recommendations concerning Fire Department records of fire prevention inspections, air packs, extinguishers vehicle, hose, fire equipment, daily workloads, safety meeting and pre-fire planning.

Work Schedule: Full time, 72 hours per week, 144 hours per pay period. Working a schedule of 48hrs on then 72hrs off, 48hrs on then 72hrs off, and 48hrs on then 48hrs off.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support) / PD24184A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Physical Requirements: The Firefighter/EMT must maintain an adequate level of physical fitness to react quickly and have the stamina to endure the physical exertion and stress of firefighting, they must complete 1 hour of physical activity per day per the NFPA 1500 and annually complete a Fire Department Physical Agility Test outline in NFPA 1500 and NFPA 1583. Fire Department personnel must complete an annual Firefighter physical with Employee Health to be cleared for duty. Incumbent must maintain physical condition to don personal protective equipment consisting of coat, helmet, boots, gloves, bunker pants, and self-contained breathing apparatus, which weighs 75 pounds. Incumbent must wear this equipment when responding to and during all emergency calls regardless of temperature. Incumbent is expected to enter buildings and atmospheres that are unsafe due to fire, oxygen deficiencies, etc. and perform very strenuous types of work carrying heavy equipment and victims. The requirements of the job are such that the incumbent must maintain alertness, self-control and emotional stability when working under conditions of stress, confusion, panic and where physical injury or death are present.