Firefighter/EMT

To respond to fire alarms, medical emergencies and other emergency calls to protect life and property; to operate and maintain a variety of fire and rescue apparatus and firefighting equipment; to participate in firefighting activities, emergency medical services, hazardous materials incidents, fire prevention and public fire safety education activities and training activities.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential Functions:

• Respond to fire alarms; lay and connect hose; maintain pumping apparatus; hold nozzles and direct water streams; raise and climb ladders.
• Operate numerous types of fire suppression, rescue, salvage and emergency medical equipment.
• Provide some emergency medical care to medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, and other emergency situations involving threat to human life.
• Accompany an engine company during inspections of buildings and property for fire hazards, efficiency of fire protective equipment, adequacy of fire exits and general compliance with fire prevention and hazardous materials laws and standards.
• Assist with classes and public education on fire prevention methods; conduct fire prevention and first aid classes for schools, churches, civic groups, and the general public.
• Assist in the maintenance, testing and minor repair of fire hydrants.
• Assist in the investigation of fire scenes to determine causes; prepare inspection reports and assist in the preparation of investigative reports.
• Participate in fire drills; attend training sessions that include firefighting techniques, emergency medical care, and the proper use of all equipment and related tools.
• Clean apparatus and equipment and perform general custodial duties as required.
• Respond to off duty fourth alarm incidents.

Additional Duties:

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

Ability to:

• Learn first aid, C.P.R. and other medical assistance techniques.
• Learn rescue methods and techniques.
• Learn the purposes and uses of a variety of vehicles, equipment, tools and apparatus used in firefighting, rescue and medical assistance operations.
• Learn and act in accordance with Departmental policies, rules, instructions and written material in the field of firefighting.
• Apply basic firefighting techniques and procedures.
• Learn to operate and maintain firefighting equipment and apparatus.
• Learn to analyze fire and emergency situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Retain presence of mind in emergency situations.
• Learn to operate and maintain voice radio equipment.
• Perform heavy lifting and physical maneuvering.
• Understand and follow oral and written directions promptly and accurately.
• Learn the principles, practices and procedures of modern firefighting.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain cooperative-working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Experience and Training Guidelines:

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

General Requirement(s):

• Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
• Must have good driving record in accordance with the City and department motor vehicle requirements.
• Must reside within appropriate travel time/distance boundaries established by department residency policy required for response time.

Experience:

No experience is required for entry-level position of Firefighter I. 

Education/Training:

• Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade required.
• Completion of a Basic Structure Fire Suppression Course approved by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection is required. 

License(s)/Certification(s):

• Ability to obtain valid driver’s license appropriate for driving fire apparatus. 

• Basic Structural Fire Protection Personnel Certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection is required. 
• Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B) Certification from the Texas Department of State Health Services is required.

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. 

• Regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Frequently required to reach with hands and arms.
• Regularly required to stand; walk; climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk and hear.
• Frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds.
• Vision required includes close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Lifting, from both overhead and dead weight positions, a variety of equipment (e.g., hose, ladders, fans, rescue saws, portable lights). When assistance is available, one person’s share of weight load would commonly be 36–40 lbs. However, it is not uncommon for a Firefighter to carry equipment weighing 65 lbs. or more without assistance. (Weights cited are in addition to the 50 lbs. of protective clothing.) 
• Climbing ladders with a charged hose line or other equipment weighing 30–40 lbs. in addition to the 50 lbs. of protective clothing being worn by the firefighter.
• Wielding an axe, shoveling burned debris, moving furniture, bending, twisting, pushing and pulling, frequently from awkward positions. 
• Climbing several flights of stairs carrying hose, rescue saws, ladders, other equipment weighing as much as 65–75 lbs. per Firefighter, in addition to the 50 lbs. of protective clothing.
• Assisting another Firefighter in advancing extremely heavy hose lines 
• Crawling through and performing tasks in confined spaces (e.g., scuttle holes, small window openings, or attics). 
• Walking on roofs and other (often wet) surfaces where footing is precarious and/or in smoke-charged rooms with very limited visibility carrying equipment and/or performing emergency tasks. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Firefighters are required to work from ladders up to 75 ft.  Smoke and combustion products are present at fire incidents.  Firefighter personnel must be capable of coming from a state of complete relaxation (sleep) to working at full capabilities with 100% effort within 1 to 3 minutes.  They may be required to maintain this effort in excess of an hour.

• Subject to work in outside weather conditions; exposed to extreme cold and extreme heat.
• Subject to work near moving mechanical parts.
• Subject to be exposed to vibration.
• Subject to work in high, precarious places and with risk of radiation.
• Subject to be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock.
• Noise level can range from moderate to very loud.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

This job description is not an employment agreement, contact agreement, or contract.  Management has exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

Salary : $59,148 - $116,303