Summary This position is located within the Facilities Services Line at the VA Medical Center in Tomah, WI. The Firefighter (Basic Life Support) performs work to control and extinguish fires, rescue persons endangered by fire, and reduce or eliminate potential fire hazards. It also includes providing basic life support and other non-invasive medical procedures.
Learn more about this agency Duties Help
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*THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties include but are not limited to:
- Controls and extinguishes 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.
- Performs specialized rescues, hazardous materials spill response and serves as a driver operator of motorized firefighting vehicles.
- 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. Attends periodic classes to keep proficient in operation of fire hose lines and nozzles, use of forcible entry tools, ventilation of structures, use of specialized rescue equipment and other fire and emergency skills needed to maintain proficiency.
- Has responsibility for a diverse fire protection inspection program which covers a myriad of locations and structures peculiar to a medical facility.
- 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.
- Inspects high hazard areas such as painting and welding operations. Inspections will be based upon complex National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Occupational Safety Health Agency (OSHA), Joint Commission and Department of Veteran Affairs standards and regulations.
- Conducts inspections, testing and maintenance (ITM) on fire detection and suppression systems such as, but not limited to sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers and fire hydrants.
- 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.
- Inspects building structure and other facilities for compliance with fire protection and prevention regulations, including, new construction, alterations, or repair work in progress.
- Conducts general work planning daily, particularly in the areas of training and fire inspections.
- Prepares necessary reports as required upon returning from fire inspections, fire drills, annual inspections, and emergencies.
- Reviews, assess, and makes recommendations concerning Fire Department records of fire prevention inspections, air packs, extinguishers vehicle, hose, fire equipment, daily workloads, safety meeting and pre-fire planning.
- Reviews and assesses training programs for firefighters and inspectors on performing inspection tasks for firefighting apparatus, sprinkler systems, hydrants, control valve systems, fire pumps, and other identified work details.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.
Work Schedule: 72-hour week, 144 hours per pay period; works a schedule of 48hrs on then 72hrs off, 48hrs on then 72hrs off, and 48hrs on then 48hrs off.
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI) : Not Approved
Requirements Help
Conditions of employment - You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
- To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
- Subject to background/security investigation
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications AGE REQUIREMENT: Maximum Entry Age
For initial appointments, applicant cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the day of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit noted, but who have previously served in a covered position may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: 1) Meet all applicable qualifications for the position; and 2) Will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal firefighter service by the time the Federal firefighter reaches the age of 57. Prior service in covered positions and creditable towards retirement may be subtracted from the applicant's age to determine if the Federal firefighter meets the maximum entry age.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATION: Applicants must possess and maintain a valid State motor vehicle operator's license of the appropriate classification or kind. Applicants also may be required to pass a practical road test and provide information on their driving record. Please do not upload a copy of your license at this time. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current, valid, and unrestricted state driver's license.
In addition to the meeting the above requirements, you must also meet the following Selective Factors -Certification Requirements* for this position. You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit.
This position includes
Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.
The Selective Placement Factors for this position are:
To be eligible for employment as a VA Firefighter, applicants must possess the following certifications. Please submit a copy of each required certification with your application to receive credit - no photos please.
- Must have received certification as either an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board HAZMAT Operations Level Responder. ( Proof of Certification Required )
- Must have received certification as either an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board-Certified Firefighter I and II. ( Proof of Certification Required )
- Must have received certification in Incident Command Systems - ICS-100 & 200. ( Proof of Certification Required )
- Must have received certification in National Incident Management Systems - ICS-700 & 800. ( Proof of Certification Required )
- Either have received certification as either an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board Apparatus Operator - Pumper or you must be willing to obtain within 24 months. ( Proof of Certification Required )
- Either have received certification as either an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board Fire Inspector I and II or you must be willing to obtain within 24 months. ( Proof of Certification Required )
- Must possess a current, valid, state, or national registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)- Basic certification. ( Proof of Certification Required )
In addition to meeting the above requirements, applicants must also meet the following: Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 level in the Federal Service that has given you the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Specialized experience includes: (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention. These duties would have been performed exercising independent judgment and under general supervision.
MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT OPERATOR QUALIFICATIONS: For those positions requiring the operation of specialized firefighting pumping equipment, mounted pressurized systems, dispensing devices, and/or rescue tools, applicants may be required to demonstrate the ability, before appointment, to operate the specific equipment to which they will be assigned or similar related types of hydraulic equipment.
PERFORMANCE TEST: Candidates may be required to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the minimum physical abilities necessary to perform safely and efficiently the essential tasks of this position.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS : All applicants for positions that have duties of an arduous or hazardous nature must meet and maintain specific medical standards. Since individual positions may not include all such duties, a physical condition or impairment may be disqualifying for employment only if there is a direct relationship between the condition and the nature of the duties of the specific position to be filled. Employees in positions involving firefighting duties or other duties involving arduous physical exertion may be subject to periodic (e.g., annual) medical examinations following appointment to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position. (See 5 CFR 339)
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 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1500 and annually complete a Fire Department Physical Agility Test outlined in NFPA 1500 and NFPA 1583. Fire Department personnel must complete an annual Firefighter physical with Employee Health to be cleared for duty. Employee 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. Employee must wear this equipment when responding to and during all emergency calls regardless of temperature. Employee 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 employee must maintain alertness, self-control and emotional stability when working under conditions of stress, confusion, panic and where physical injury or death are present.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at
Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level.
Additional information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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