Firefighter

TARGET CLOSE DATE:
10/02/2026

PAY GRADE:
Grade 19

TYPE:
Full time

JOB SUMMARY:
Firefighters in the Merit System work to combat, extinguish, and prevent fires. Employees in this job class respond to emergency medical calls, rescue operations, and a variety of non-emergency calls to protect lives and property as well as participate in the custodial maintenance of fire station equipment, fire-fighting apparatus, rescue vehicles, and quarters. Firefighters spend time studying methods and techniques, and perform routine duties in the care and maintenance of fire department property and equipment. Work is performed within established policies and procedures and is reviewed by a Fire Lieutenant, Fire Captain, Fire Chief, or through performance evaluations.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:
Agencies provide competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more.


Applications for this position will be considered for the following Merit System employing agencies. The pay range for this job varies depending upon the Merit System employing agency.


Bessemer: $16.34 - 25.35
Birmingham: $20.10 - 31.18
Fairfield: $14.49 - 22.48
Fultondale: $17.90 - 27.76
Gardendale: $18.73 - 29.06
Homewood: $19.07 - 29.57
Hueytown: $16.35 - 25.37
Irondale: $20.13 - 31.22
Leeds: $18.25 - 28.30
Midfield: $13.42 - 20.82
Mountain Brook: $20.06 - 31.12
Pleasant Grove: $17.33 - 26.89
Tarrant: $16.50 - 25.60
Vestavia Hills: $18.45 - 28.63

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. certificate.
• No felony convictions.
• Driver's license.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications deemed desirable by Merit System agencies. These qualifications may be considered by a hiring agency when reviewing applications and inviting candidates to participate in subsequent steps in the selection processes.

• (Pro Board or IFSAC) Certified Firefighter I or Firefighter I/II as recognized by Alabama Fire College.

Individuals possessing one of the following certifications issued by a Pro Board or IFSAC accredited organization (e.g., the Alabama Fire College) may be allowed to exempt the written examination and be placed directly onto the Firefighter list upon verification of the certification:

• Firefighter I
• Firefighter I/II
• Certified Volunteer Firefighter*

*Note that individuals who are hired with this VFF Certification will be required to complete the five-week Bridge program through the Alabama Fire College in order to obtain the Firefighter I certification.

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

• Administers non-invasive healthcare to patients/victims by following accepted medical guidelines and using specialized medical equipment for treating various health-related conditions.
• Ensures proper operation and readiness of apparatuses, equipment, and personal gear used for incident response by performing scheduled cleaning, inspections, and maintenance to enable safe and effective incident response and mitigation.
• Conducts fire safety activities for the general public that are designed to reduce the risk of fire related incidents from occurring and enhance awareness of general fire safety precautions.
• Deploys fire hoses of varying diameters with different nozzle specifications and incorporates available appliances into fire suppression activities.
• Carries out officer/incident commander's fire suppression orders by following incident response guidelines to extinguish the fire and ensure life safety of victims.
• Operates aerial or ground ladder during ladder operations while accounting for situational variables to complete operations.
• Assists in developing pre-fire plans for businesses, public buildings, and residences to include surveying buildings, collecting information regarding hazardous materials, occupancy, hydrant location, etc. to prevent and/or minimize damage and losses caused by fire-related incidents.
• Participates in activities that project a positive image of the department to the public by attending off-site facilities or hosting visitors at the station to conduct trainings, tours, and other community-related activities.
• Operates fire apparatus pump system during incidents requiring water using the control panel to enable fire suppression activities.
• Minimizes property loss from incidents by inspecting the scene, assessing what areas of the incident should be preserved for investigation, protecting property from unnecessary damage, and determining what debris should be left undisturbed to permit later investigation.
• Locates and removes victims from incident scenes by utilizing specialized rescue techniques and equipment for extrication of victims to minimize trauma, ensure life safety, and transport to the appropriate patient care facility.
• Participates in duties related to the maintenance and appearance of the fire station.
• Participates in formal and informal training, sessions, and drills to acquire the proper training needed to carry out assigned duties in accordance with department policies and procedures and national guidelines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Job involves moderate physical exertion required for occasional prolonged periods of lifting, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, or running. May involve occasional lifting of items or objects weighing up to 75 lbs. Work involves physical ability necessary to combat/extinguish fires and respond to emergency medical calls.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is conducted both indoors in employer-owned facilities (e.g., fire station) as well as regular field visits to external places of business, residences, and Emergency Medical facilities. Work involves use of firefighting/lifesaving equipment. May be exposed to hazardous weather conditions, roadway traffic, infectious diseases, and angry/irate citizens.

EEO STATEMENT:

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Each Merit System member city/agency operates its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website.

ACCOMMODATION:

To request an accommodation in the application or hiring process due to your own ongoing medical condition or disability, please contact our Accommodations Coordinator at View email address on click.appcast.io or phone at View phone number on click.appcast.io (select option 1) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The accommodation process is reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the job application process.

NOTE:

This job posting may close before, or be extended beyond, the listed Target Close Date based on the employment needs of the Merit System. More detail regarding this job is available by clicking Apply.

DISCLAIMER:

This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required for this position and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.