Lateral Firefighter

Firefighter

This opening is restricted to Lateral Firefighter applicants only. Please review the minimum qualifications.

Job Summary: The Firefighter's primary duty is to prevent, educate, and respond by providing direct services, individually and as a member of a team, in the areas of community risk reduction, public education, emergency medical response, suppression and control of fires, and other kinds of emergency and non-emergency assistance to the public as circumstances may require. In addition to the essential duties and responsibilities, firefighters are assigned and trained in one specialty discipline to meet the needs of the community. The specialty areas include surface water and swift water search and rescue, technical rescue (rope, confined space, trench, and structural collapse technician levels), hazardous materials (haz mat technician, haz mat incident commander, haz mat specialist (to include, tank car, cargo tank, intermodal, flammable liquid bulk storage, air monitoring and sampling, science officer), or fire investigator.

Scope of Responsibility: Work performed is considerably hazardous and requires the firefighter to follow instructions provided by superiors and to draw upon the extensive training and/or experience they receive on-the-job to make quick judgments in extremely volatile situations. The firefighter is responsible for care and safe operation of department equipment of a high monetary value. The firefighter is required to complete annual physical agility and medical testing. The employee is required to complete a minimum 192 hours of company-based training, 18 hours of fire suppression training, 12 hours of driver training, 12 hours of officer training, 6 hours of hazardous materials training, 20 hours of EMS training and at least 60 hours of training on their assigned specialty annually. Based on staffing needs a firefighter may assume the duties of a fire captain.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Performs all job duties in compliance with safety guidelines and with an ongoing awareness of safety practices.
2. Conducts fire prevention inspections of public buildings and local businesses requiring application of national fire codes and City standards. Works independently or as part of a team. Establishes relationship with building managers to effectively communicate fire codes and safety procedures.
3. Performs public relations and education activities.
4. Responds to emergency and non-emergency situations including medical emergencies, fires, hazardous materials releases, technical rescues, surface and swift water search and rescue, false alarms, flooding, natural and manmade disasters, and other situations. Provides emergency medical assistance to ill and injured persons, operates emergency vehicles, nozzles, pumps, hydrants, fire extinguishers, breathing apparatus, and other firefighting equipment.
5. Maintains equipment in a state of readiness and performs preventative and routine maintenance to prolong the useful life of expensive equipment.
6. Participates in and/or conducts training exercises, demonstrations and instruction to prepare for emergency situations.
7. During the absence of the Fire Captain, the firefighter fills this shift supervisory position; may fill in for a Captain for extended periods, or on a daily basis, depending on the assignments of the Battalion Chief.
8. Communicates courteously and professionally and maintains working relationships with others in carrying out job functions.
9. Performs other duties and activities as assigned.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities: Drive Operator:

Scope of Responsibility:

When an employee has two years of service and has completed the 60-hour Fargo Fire Department Driver Operator class, the employee may be asked from time to time to drive the apparatus. The driver operator responsibilities are distinguished from that of a firefighter by the focus on apparatus operation to and at emergency scenes, although the work may also involve all duties performed by a firefighter.

1. Drives the apparatus when assigned and performs necessary vehicle and equipment checks

Additional Duties and Responsibilities Firefighter Special Assignment - Training:

Special Assignment Summary & Scope:

Under limited supervision, assist with coordinating and conducting annual training for the Fire Department and ensuring all certifications for department personnel are maintained. This position reports directly to the Battalion Chief of Training.

1. Assist with and occasionally lead Joint Training Academy, Firefighter I & II and certifications, and ongoing training programs to meet NFPA national standards.
2. Assists with annual department Fire and EMS training programs.
3. Perform other duties as assigned by the Battalion Chief of Training.

Minimum Qualifications: The job requires a high school diploma, general educational development certificate (GED), or a high school equivalency certificate (HiSET). College credits are preferred. A valid driver's license is also required. Must successfully obtain ProBoard certification of Firefighter 1 & 2, Hazardous Materials Awareness, and Hazardous Materials Operations, and obtain certification as an EMT through NREMT during recruit training Successful completion of Emergency Vehicle Operation Training within the first two years of employment. Required to maintain specified continuing education training hours and ongoing certifications including annual physical agility test, medical/physical exams, Emergency Medical Technician, and others.

Lateral Firefighter: The job requires a high school diploma, general educational development certificate (GED), or a high school equivalency certificate (HiSET). A valid driver's license is also required. Must have a minimum of 2 years of paid, full-time experience as a firefighter (within the last 12 months) with a career municipal fire service agency whose primary responsibility is fire protection and emergency medical service (time in a training academy does not count toward the two-year experience requirement). Successful job performance and no prior disciplinary action within the prior two years of experience (copies of performance evaluations will be required as part of the background process). Possession of the following certifications (copies must be provided at the time of application):

• Current National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification
• AHA Basic Life Support Health Care Provider
• Firefighter I & II Certification (must be The ProBoard, IFSAC)
• Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations Certification (Must be ProBoard, IFSAC)

Knowledge, skills and ability include:

• Knowledge of emergency medical assistance procedures;
• Knowledge of the basic concepts of fire suppression and prevention to understand the need for immediate response and organization and teamwork in carrying out the firefighting functions;
• Knowledge of building construction as applied to fire suppression, building inspection and pre-planning programs;
• Knowledge of hazardous materials at the operations level;
• Knowledge of general requirements for vehicle rescue;
• Knowledge of basic math, physics and chemistry, medical terminology and concepts related to emergency medical care;
• Skill in performing manual tasks requiring mechanical aptitude such as minor repair to motorized equipment;
• Skill in driving and operation of emergency response vehicles;
• Skill in manual tasks requiring strength, endurance and coordination;
• Skill in written English sufficient to read operating/procedure manuals and to maintain logs, write reports, etc.;
• Skill in communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction;
• Basic computer skill and ability to learn NFIRS to maintain information, use email system, and run reports;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to perform hoseline operations, extensive crawling, lifting and carrying heavy objects; ventilate roofs or walls using power or hand tools, force entry while wearing protective ensembles including SCBA.
• Ability to climb ladders, operate from heights, walk or crawl in dark narrow and uneven surfaces that might be wet or icy, and operating in proximity to electrical power lines and other hazards.
• Ability to function as a team member, where sudden incapacitation of a member can result in mission failure or in risk of injury or death to civilians or other team members.
• Ability to communicate (give and comprehend verbal orders) while wearing personal protective ensembles and SCBA under conditions of high background noise, poor visibility, and drenching from hoselines and/or fixed protection systems (sprinklers).
• Ability to maintain certification through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions: Work involves response to unpredictable emergency situations for prolonged periods of extreme physical exertion without benefit of warm-up, scheduled rest periods, meals, access to medications, or hydration. There is regular exposure to very disagreeable working conditions such as fumes, fire, smoke, extreme weather conditions including ice, snow, extreme high and low temperatures, humidity, rain, dirt, mud. The work involves exposure to hazardous conditions such as toxic chemicals, slippery conditions, working in traffic areas and adverse road conditions. While at emergency scenes, incumbent may have exposure to injury, trauma, blood-borne pathogens, traffic accidents, and visual and emotional trauma. Incumbent is required to take appropriate