PARAMEDIC/FIREFIGHTER

Position open until filled

Starting Range - $55,114.32 - $80,317.48

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under general supervision, performs various responsible fire service duties at an assigned fire station for the County's Fire and Rescue Department and performs skilled and technical work in rescuing victims and administering emergency medical to patients on site.  Work involves performing various duties, including preventing, controlling and extinguishing fires; maintaining and servicing fire equipment, station house, and grounds; and maintaining operational readiness of departmental vehicles and equipment.  Employee is also responsible for operating a fire fighting vehicle in responding to fire alarms.  Work also involves responding to the scene of emergency and non-emergency calls, applying necessary medical treatment to sick or injured persons, transporting persons to a medical facility.  Employee serves as a member of an ambulance crew and is responsible for performing the duties of a Paramedic.  This position is differentiated from an Emergency Medical Technician of other certification levels by the additional requirements of performing defibrillation and cardioversion, using gas-powdered or hand-powered nebulizers, decompressing a tension pneumothorax by use of a catheter-flutter-valve device, using positive-end expiratory pressure respirators, performing cricothyrotomy for relief of upper airway obstruction, performing gastric suction by intubation, and performing urinary catheterization.  Employee is subject to the usual hazards of firefighting duties and emergency rescue work, including risk of exposure to infectious diseases.  Reports to a Fire Rescue Shift Officer.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

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

Responds to emergency calls as a mobile medical unit attendant or driver, performs necessary rescue work in accordance with established protocols for Basic and Advanced Life Support; administers necessary emergency medical care requiring the use of suction units, immobilization equipment, intravenous infusions, syringes and medications, and cardiac monitors/defibrillator/pacers, and performance of intubation/advanced airway management.

Emergency Medical Technicians - paramedics trained in approved training programs, certified by the Department of Health C Bureau of Emergency Medical Services;  to perform medical acts, and functioning in an improved mobile intensive care program may do any of the following in accordance with protocols established by their sponsor hospital:

(1) While at the scene of a medical emergency and confronted by a serious or life-threatening clinical situation, if continual approval has been provided by the sponsoring Medical Director: (a) establish an intravenous or intraosseous line in a peripheral vein and administer any intravenous solution; (b) obtain blood for laboratory analysis; (c) administer parenterally, orally, sublingual, or topically any of the drugs approved by the County Medical Director; (d) perform pulmonary ventilation by means of an endotracheal tube and/or perform cricothyrotomy for relief of upper airway obstruction; (e) perform defibrillation or cardioversion; (f) use gas-powdered or hand-powdered nebulizers; (g) decompress a tension pneumothorax by use of a catheter-flutter-valve device; (h) use positive and expiratory pressure respirators; (i) perform gastric suction by intubation; and (j) perform external cardiac pacing.

(2) When confronted with a pulse less non-breathing patient, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation, pulmonary ventilation by means of an endotracheal tube and administer appropriate cardiac drugs prior to contacting the nearest hospital.

(3) Establish an intravenous or intraosseous line in a peripheral vein and administer any intravenous solution approved by the Medical Director for use by EMT-Ps prior to contacting the receiving hospital.

May perform an of the following procedures if allowed by the County Emergency Medical Services System in which they function: (1) patient assessment; (2) basic life support techniques in accordance with the American Heart Association or American Red Cross including airway management and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; (3) Oxygen administration; (4) hemorrhage control; (5) treatment for shock; (6) bandaging and dressing soft tissue injuries; (7) application of military anti-shock trousers; (8) splinting fractures and dislocations; (9) treatment of injuries to the head, face, eye, neck and spine; (10) treatment of injuries to the chest, abdomen and genitalia; (11) provision of basic life support for medical injuries; (12) assisting in normal and abnormal childbirth; (13) treatment of injuries as a result of exposure to heat and cold; (14) treatment of burns; (15) lifting and moving patients for transfer to a medical facility; and (16) extrication of patients from confined areas.

Responds to non-emergency calls, such as requests to transport patients from hospitals to their homes or from a local medical facility to a specialized medical center.

Participates in a continuous training program to improve competence in medical clinical work and in ambulance service and operation; studies street and road patterns and networks of the County in order that future runs may be made with minimum difficulty and delay.

Operates a fire fighting vehicle in responding to fire alarms; activates pagers for fire calls and proceeds to the scene of the fire; takes command of the fire scene until properly relived by superior; and performs fire suppression and fire rescue activities.

Maintains and ensures the operational readiness of departmental vehicles and equipment; performs preventive maintenance tasks and scheduled testing of all firefighting apparatus; makes repairs to equipment and vehicles when necessary; and maintains fixed asses inventory.  

Prepares and maintains accurate records and reports; maintains vehicle and equipment maintenance records; prepares incident fire reports, training reports, and hydrant inspection reports.

Performs fire station and grounds maintenance including sweeping, vacuuming, mowing grass, washing vehicle, etc.

 Performs other related work as required

 (The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties or requirements of this position.)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS       

Must have high school diploma or its equivalent and some experience beyond obtaining the required certifications for the position; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Certification as a Paramedic by the Department of Health - Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.  Certification in Fire Fighting Standards.  Certification in CPR and A.C.L.S. by the American Heart Association, or equivalent. Must complete Incident Command classes through FEMA web site.  Must have a valid Florida driver’s license.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of basic and advanced emergency medical procedures and techniques.

Knowledge of equipment and supplies employed in the emergency care of patients and victims of accidents.

Knowledge of procedures of extrication, movement of patients, rescue techniques, transportation and psychological needs of a patient.

Knowledge of the operating characteristics and service requirements of equipment

and apparatus used in fire fighting, fire prevention, rescue operations and hazardous material response.

Knowledge of the hazards involved in emergency response operations and of the applicable safety precautions.

Knowledge of street layout, subdivisions, buildings and the location of fire hydrants in the County.

Knowledge of departmental policies, procedures, rules and regulations.

Knowledge of County geography and of the location of roads and streets within the County.

Knowledge of radio communications equipment.

Skill in diagnosing a victim's condition and applying emergency medical care.

Ability to respond quickly and calmly to emergency situations.

Ability to operate and care for assigned emergency response apparatus and equipment.

Ability to analyze situations quickly and correctly and adopt effective courses of action with regard to surroundings and circumstances.

Ability to safely drive an ambulance under emergency conditions.

Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.

Ability to maintain routine activity reports.

Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing.

Ability to lift substantial weight.

Ability to deal tactfully, courteously and firmly with the general public.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignment

Ability to perform prolonged and arduous work under adverse conditions when required.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment including driving a fire truck, and operating such firefighting equipment as pumps, ladders, air compressors, self-contained breathing apparatus, suction units, immobilization equipment, intravenous infusions, M.A.S.T. pants, syringes and medications, and cardiac monitors/defibrillator/pacers; two-way radios, emergency medical equipment, etc.  Requires ability to ascend and descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, etc., using feet or hands and arms. Requires ability to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing, bending, stooping, crouching, or running on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether like or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information.  Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of reports, correspondence,  charts, forms, maps etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, etc., using prescribed formats. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.  Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including emergency response codes, and fire and medical terminology.                Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; to multiply and divide; to utilize percentages and decimals; to interpret graphs; to perform calculations involving variables; and to perform algebraic operations

Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate eyes and hands rapidly and accurately in using firefighting and medical equipment and hand tools.

Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as firefighting equipment and hand tools.  Must have levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.

Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.  Must be adaptable to performing calmly under stress and when confronted with persons who are acting under stress.  Must be able to perform multiple tasks with simultaneous demands under conditions of stress.

Physical Communications: Requires the ability to talk and hear. (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words.  Hearing: perceiving the nature of sounds by ear).  Must be able to communicate via telephone and two-way radio.

 (Reasonable accommodations will be made in accordance with existing ADA requirements for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.)  

This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Salary : $55,114 - $80,317