Fire Medic II

Description

Under general supervision, the purpose of the position is to provide fire protection and to perform skilled emergency and non-emergency work driving a rescue vehicle, rescuing the sick or injured, and administering emergency medical care, including basic trauma life support. Employees in this classification perform skilled work. Position is responsible for operating an approved mobile medical unit; rescuing victims; and performing advanced emergency care, including the administration of life sustaining treatment to patients on-site and while in route to the hospital. Performs related work as required.

Examples of Duties

• Responds to calls to provide emergency medical assistance to provide basic life support emergency medical care; drives ambulances in response to emergency calls and in the transport of patients to or from a medical facility; performs primary and secondary patient assessments; determines blood pressures, pulses, respiratory rates, capillary refill, and other vital signs; determines patients’ medical history, complaints, and symptoms; establishes and maintains open airways; ventilates non-breathing persons; administers cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to victims of cardiac arrest; operates a semi-automatic defibrillator and initiates delivery of shocks when prompted in accordance with local protocols; operates life support equipment.
• Provides advanced life support care to critical ambulance patients in accordance with regional and local medical protocols and/or on-line medical control; intubates patients requiring advanced airway management using endotracheal tube and/or esophageal obturator airway, starts intravenous lines and intravenous fluid therapy; administers drugs necessary for the treatment of acute medical conditions pursuant to physician orders; performs other advanced life support procedures upon approval and direction of medical director and/or hospital-based physician/medical control physician.
• Responds to fire alarms; drives fire apparatus and/or operates fire pumps; fights fires; performs rescues of persons trapped inside burning structures; lifts carries, drags, lays, and connects hose lines and appliances; assists in loading and unloading ladders; performs salvage and overhaul operations; directs traffic and establishes safety zones.
• Responds to incidents involving hazardous materials; initiates requests for appropriate assistance; may provide emergency decontamination and/or treatment to contaminated victims.
• Installs smoke detectors; performs pre-fire plans.
• Assists in planning, developing, and coordinating departmental training; performs physical fitness training; participates in a continuous training program to improve competence in firefighting, medical clinical work and in rescue vehicle service and operation; maintains knowledge of new or modified operational protocols and procedures; studies street and road patterns and networks of the County in order that future runs may be made with minimum difficulty and delay.
• Inspects and tests fire apparatus and ambulances and their emergency equipment; maintains proper inventory of equipment and supplies for County EMS and fire units; cleans and sanitizes equipment; ensures that equipment is in proper and good working order; makes routine adjustments and minor repairs/maintenance.
• Completes and maintains accurate records, forms, and reports for various administrative, operational, and training activities; may code, edit, and submit Virginia Fire Incident Reports and EMS Pre-hospital Patient Care Reports; prepares and/or types memorandums and general correspondence, forms, reports, and purchase orders; maintains files on personnel, equipment, and operations.
• Conducts station drills; attends multi-company drills.
• Observe all approved safety and health policies and procedures pertaining to an employee's work activities and performs all work tasks in a safe and healthy manner in accordance with County policy.
• Performs other assigned duties.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• One to Two (1-2) years of related work experience.
• Supplemented by vocational/technical training in emergency medical services, firefighting, and cardiac technician services.

• Driver's License valid in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Certification as an Emergency Medical Technician – Intermediate or Paramedic by the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Emergency Medical Services
• CPR, Hazardous Materials - Awareness/Operations, and EVOC
• TEMS released (within 3 months of hire) and meet all certification requirements to practice as an ALS provider per the County’s Operational Medical Director.
• Certification as a Firefighter II by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs
• Successful completion of designated NIMS compliant Incident Command System courses (NIMS:ICS).
• Satisfactory completion of a criminal background check and DMV records check prior to employment.
• Successful passing of the NFPA 1582 medical exam as part of a conditional offer of employment.

Supplemental Information

A salary differential of $3,500 annually is provided for certified Paramedics in addition to the base salary of $56,245.

Please Note: All County employees may be required to report to serve our customers during emergency conditions. While some will perform their regular duties, others may be assigned to report at a different time and location and to perform different duties from their regular jobs. Employees will either be deemed essential personnel and provide services that must continue regardless of or pursuant to a state of emergency or will be deemed nonessential personnel that will be required to report to work in an emergency if they receive an assignment to shelter duty or other duty.