Vehicle and Equipment Mechanic/Firefighter I

Job Title: Vehicle and Equipment Mechanic/Firefighter I

Employer: The Town of Ocean City, MD

Salary: $52,998.00 - $67,579.00 Annually

Location: Ocean City, MD

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 202100463

Department: Fire & EMS Department

Division: EMS

Opening Date: 09/23/2026

Job Summary

PRIMARY ROLE: VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT MECHANIC

SECONDARY ROLE: FIREFIGHTING AND APPARATUS OPERATION

SUMMARY

The Vehicle and Equipment Mechanic/Firefighter I is primarily responsible for inspecting, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing the Fire Department's specialized fire, rescue, marine, and support vehicles and equipment. The position performs skilled mechanical work with limited supervision and helps ensure that critical apparatus and life-safety systems remain safe, compliant, and ready for emergency service. The employee must be, or become, qualified as a firefighter and fire apparatus driver/operator; the Town of Ocean City Fire Department will provide training and support toward the required fire-service qualifications. Emergency response is a secondary function of this position and is performed as operational needs require.

Job Duties

PRIMARY FUNCTION: VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

• Performs routine inspections and preventive maintenance; diagnoses mechanical and operational problems; and repairs departmental fire, rescue, marine, and support vehicles and equipment.
• Uses specialized diagnostic equipment to troubleshoot and repair onboard vehicle and life-safety systems, including electrical and electronic systems; carburetion and fuel injection; hydraulic and pneumatic systems; heating and air conditioning; and emergency lighting, sirens, and related systems.
• Maintains critical, no-fail apparatus and equipment in peak operating condition to support safe and reliable emergency response.
• Disassembles, installs, cleans, repairs, replaces, rebuilds, reassembles, and tests apparatus and equipment components. Ensures fire apparatus and emergency vehicles comply with applicable Department of Transportation (DOT), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and manufacturer requirements.
• Coordinates, oversees, verifies, and documents third-party fire pump flow testing, ground ladder testing, and aerial ladder testing and certification in accordance with NFPA requirements. Completes annual DOT inspections of the fire apparatus fleet.
• Performs fleet maintenance, including engine tune-ups and repairs; brake inspection and adjustment; electrical-system diagnosis, repair, and replacement; and bulb and fuse replacement. Maintains accurate service records and inspection logs for the Fire Department fleet.
• Maintains portable pumps, small gasoline engines, and emergency generators, and installs sensitive electronic equipment in departmental apparatus and equipment.
• Performs emergency field maintenance when necessary, including at emergency scenes and along roadsides, in adverse weather and temperature conditions.
• Provides after-hours on-call mechanical support as assigned, including nights, weekends, holidays, and special events, to return damaged or out-of-service critical apparatus and equipment to service.
• May serve on the Department's Apparatus Specifications Workgroup and provide technical guidance related to replacement of capital and small-fleet vehicles. May attend pre-bid, apparatus construction, and final inspection meetings, including meetings at manufacturers' facilities, to verify compliance with contract specifications.
• Orders parts and maintains parts inventory.
• Assists Command Staff with fleet and equipment budget preparation.
• Operates heavy equipment, including fire apparatus, as authorized by the employee's driver's license and Maryland Fire Service Personnel Qualifications Board (MFSPQB) certifications.
• Maintains thorough knowledge of the marine fleet and fireboat operations; performs routine maintenance and coordinates repair of marine fleet motors and equipment.
• Performs other related duties consistent with the mechanical purpose and requirements of the position.

SECONDARY FUNCTION: FIREFIGHTING AND APPARATUS OPERATION

• When assigned based on operational needs, responds to emergency calls as a firefighter and/or fire apparatus driver/operator, including fires, alarms, hazardous materials incidents, marine accidents, public service calls, and motor vehicle accidents.
• Maintains the knowledge required to operate assigned apparatus and equipment and to support firefighting, fire prevention, and rescue operations.
• Uses and cares for firefighting tools, appliances, equipment, and protective clothing in accordance with approved methods and emergency operating practices.
• Applies required safety precautions during emergency medical, firefighting, rescue, and related response activities.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED), preferably in the vocational arts.

• Completion of an apprenticeship in automotive mechanics and three years of related mechanical experience.

• Five or more years of related mechanical experience may be considered in place of the apprenticeship and experience combination.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS

• Valid Class B Non-Commercial Driver's License, at a minimum, or the ability to obtain it within one year of appointment.

• Must possess or obtain Emergency Vehicle Technician Level I (EVT Level I) certification, or an equivalent combination of EVT/ASE examinations and/or specialized apparatus-manufacturer courses, within two years of appointment.

• Must possess current CPR/AED certification. Must possess or obtain MFSPQB or equivalent certifications in Firefighter I, Emergency Vehicle Operator, and Fire Apparatus Pump Operator within 18 months of appointment, subject to regional course availability. These certifications support the position's secondary emergency-response function. OCFD will provide training and support.

Supplemental Information

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals;