Qualification Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Essential Functions
- Responds to fire, emergency medical, and hazardous situations; performs and participates in technical rescues including stabilizing, extrication, high angle, confined space, trench rescue, wilderness rescue, search and rescue, swift water rescue, and hazardous materials operations.
- Responds to alarms and assists in the suppression of fires including rescue, entry, ventilating, salvage work, and first response in emergency situations.
- Provides basic and advanced life support services; triages the patient with advanced assessment skills and understanding of pathophysiology to provide differential diagnosis, and treats the patient with advanced level procedures; performs detailed subjective and objective patient assessments within established protocols, stabilization, and treatment; coordinates emergency care procedures with physician.
- Assists in maintaining fire apparatus, ambulances, and equipment and cleaning fire station and grounds; ensures that emergency vehicles are completely stocked and maintained in a safe and efficient operational condition; inspects, cleans, and maintains fire hose, pumps, hydrants, and related equipment.
- Participates in continuing training and instruction program by individual study of technical material and attendance at scheduled drills and classes; trains subordinate staff as assigned.
- Participates on special teams as qualified and assigned; serves on EMS standby at local sporting events and entertainment venues where large crowds are gathered.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of emergency medical techniques and procedures; general knowledge of firefighting techniques and procedures as applied to fire suppression; general knowledge of technical firefighting principles and techniques and principles of hydraulics as applied to fire suppression; general knowledge of the street system and physical layout of the City; general knowledge of hazardous materials and accident extrication principles and technical rescue techniques; general knowledge of advanced life support principles and techniques; ability to work at heights and in confined spaces; ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions; ability to prepare detailed written and/or electronic reports; possession of physical endurance and agility; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, academy recruits, other fire/ems agencies, associates and the general public.
Education and Experience
Associates/Technical degree with coursework in fire science, emergency medical services, or related field and moderate experience in emergency services including experience as a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Physical Requirements
This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms and repetitive motions, frequently requires walking, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, tasting or smelling, pushing or pulling and lifting and occasionally requires sitting; work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm’s length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work regularly requires exposure to wet humid conditions (non-weather), exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to the risk of electrical shock, exposure to vibration, wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment, frequently requires working near moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to extreme heat (non-weather) and occasionally requires exposure to extreme cold (non-weather) and working with explosives; work is generally in a very loud noise location (e.g. jack hammer work, garbage recycle plant).
Special Requirements
Possession of Firefighter I and II, Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic, Hazardous Materials Operation Level I and II, EVOC level I, II, and III, Hazmat Technician, Heavy Rescue Technician, and Swift Water Technician certifications upon hire.
Completion of NIMS 100, 200, 300, 700, and 800, Ropes I, Driver/Pump operator, Advanced Medical Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support training.
May require possession of, or ability to obtain, specific licenses and/or certifications depending on departmental assignment.
Must meet and maintain all department, State, and Federal training and education requirements for position.
Valid commercial driver's license, Class B with airbrake endorsement in the in the Commonwealth of Virginia.