Experienced Firefighter

Job Summary

This position responds to emergency and non-emergency calls for service to protect the life and property of citizens within the community, including Fire and EMS.  This position also maintains equipment and apparatus for constant readiness.

Essential Functions

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Responds to calls or reports of actual, possible, or potential fire occurrences, motor vehicle accidents, explosions, uncontained hazardous/volatile/chemical contamination or other property or life-threatening emergency conditions to suppress, control, remove, contain, or otherwise mitigate the situation; provides emergency support for medical emergencies; searches for and rescues victims; performs or supports the performance of various types of technical rescue operations.
• Responds to all fire and emergency medical calls and renders immediate, effective, and appropriate medical treatment in accordance with the department’s medical protocols.
• Operate power extrication equipment to assist in patient removals from motor vehicles.
• Drives and operates a fire apparatus in emergency situations or if deemed qualified by the Battalion Chief and signed off by the Training Division.
• Cleans, services, and returns apparatus and equipment to emergency readiness. Ensures all appropriate equipment is mounted/placed on apparatus, equipment is maintained, and all deficiencies are documented and reported in accordance with policies, procedures, and standard operating guidelines.
• Cleans, maintains, tests and performs general preventive maintenance on equipment and automotive apparatus.
• Participates in drills and training sessions, or activities essential to maintaining a constant state of readiness and competency for all types of potential incidents.
• Participates in public education and training programs such as extinguisher usage demonstrations, helmet and seatbelt usage, senior and child home safety concerns, and general health and wellness issues.
• Performs routine fire hydrant inspection and maintenance; assists with maintenance logs and reports for all hydrants within assigned district biannually.
• Inspects personal protective equipment for readiness, and informs company officer of any maintenance or problems with the equipment.
• Utilizes and wears the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) while performing firefighting tasks in environments that may be immediately dangerous to life (IDLH atmospheres).
• Performs data entry and incident reports as assigned.
• Assists in station duties including: cleaning, maintenance, yard work, etc.
• Meets scheduling and attendance requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Maintains patient information in accordance with the Department’s privacy policies, procedures, and practices, as required by federal and state law, and in accordance with general principles of professionalism as a health care provider.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must have the ability to learn, understand, and carry out the proper use of firefighting equipment and tools.
• Knowledge of emergency medical and health techniques and methods in alignment with certifications/licenses held.
• Knowledge of Bloodborne Pathogens and maintenance of current preventative vaccinations.
• Knowledge of South Carolina Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulations.
• Knowledge of department computer applications and software.
• Knowledge of hazardous materials, and hazardous substance reference manuals.
• Skill in operating fire apparatus and pumping equipment, hydraulic, electrical & pneumatic rescue, and stabilization equipment.
• Skill in operating ladders, two-way radios, cameras, atmospheric & chemical sampling equipment, and basic office equipment such as fax and copy machines.
• Skill in operating medical equipment, including pulse-oximeter, cardiac monitor and defibrillator, blood glucose monitor and airway management commensurate with level of certification.
• Ability to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
• Knowledge of District policies, procedures, and practices.
• Ability to analyze and prepare organizational and functional reports from research data.
• Ability to work the allocated hours of the position.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbal and written with a diverse range of people and deal with verbal and physical confrontations.
• Ability to communicate, using proper protocol and codes, when using two-way radios, and other modes of communication.
• Must be proficient in workplace English and spelling.
• Ability to understand and effectively carry out verbal and written instructions; including following orders of superior officers.
• Ability to read, develop, interpret, and implement local policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Ability to think quickly, maintain self-control, confidentiality, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Ability to maintain discretion regarding business-related files, reports and conversations, within the provision of open records law and other applicable State and Federal Statutes and Regulations.
• Organizational and time management skills needed to meet deadlines.
• Must have ability to work accurately with attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment in arriving at conclusions.

Required Education, Experience, Licensing, and Certifications/Coursework

Education:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent.
• Possession of a valid Class E South Carolina Driver’s License.

Experience:

• Must have completed SCFA Recruit Academy or Bluffton Township Fire District Recruit Academy;
• Must have successfully completed at least one (1) year as a Firefighter I with Bluffton Township Fire District or other fire department;
• Must have NREMT-Basic or NREMT-Paramedic certification; and
• Must have SCDHEC EMT-Basic or SCDHEC EMT-Paramedic certification.

Certifications/Coursework: Must have completed all training and certification required of a Firefighter I.  Requirements are subject to change to ensure methods are current with industry standards.

Physical and Work Environment

The physical and work environment characteristics described in this description are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions or as otherwise required by law.  Employees needing reasonable accommodation should discuss the request with the employee’s supervisor. 

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 75-100 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Position may require rise & extending ladders; assisting victims or carrying equipment down ladders or stairs.
• Move and advance charged hose lines into burning buildings, while standing or crawling. Hold a flowing hose line for long periods of time and shut off a flowing line while maintaining control of the hose line.
• Enter buildings under adverse fire conditions which may include smoke, extreme heat, and no visibility, in full protective clothing including SCBA with face piece. Search for fire victims (sometimes searching by feel only), walking or crawling; and if a victim is found, drag, or carry the victim to safety. Emergency response and medical services could be provided in a building, vehicle, various machinery incidents, mobile homes, fields, etc.
• Work in high places, open and/or confined spaces and can be exposed to heat, cold and/or wet environmental elements.
• Operate power extrication equipment to assist in patient removals from motor vehicles. Lift and carry patients over rough or uneven terrain for considerable distances.  Ability to bend, strain, stretch, contort, push, pull, twist, carry, walk with weight or lift to remove a victim from a motor vehicle and place the victim on a stretcher.
• Operate power saws in awkward positions, such as on a sloping roof and/or from a ladder.
• Respond to an alarm, wake, and go from a sound sleep to full activity and exertion in a matter of minutes.
• May be exposed to or come in contact with, individuals having infectious and/or communicable diseases.
• Maintain composure and confront stressful situations and withstand the effects of repeated exposure to traumatic situations.
• Work may require wearing specialized personal protective equipment.
• Work is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places, fumes, or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock; hazardous materials, and risk of vibration.
• May be subject to extended periods of intense concentration and physically working extended periods ranging from 24 hours shifts or longer, and under fatigue and physical exhaustion.
• Operate district vehicles during the day and at night, using depth perception and peripheral vision in emergency situations, in congested traffic and in unsafe road conditions caused by factors such as fog, smoke, rain, ice and snow.
• Works with cleaning fluids and agents, chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, paints, or similar solutions using routine and nonroutine protective equipment.
• Work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision.
• Respond to an alarm, wake, and go from a sound sleep to full activity and exertion in a matter of minutes.
• May be exposed to or come in contact with individuals having infectious and/or communicable diseases.

Note:  Advancement to Firefighter III will occur after all requirements are met, satisfactory performance, and have passed all testing/competency assessments.  All certifications/classes/requirements of this rank must be maintained in all subsequent ranks.

Employees who decide to remain at Firefighter II must continue to demonstrate performance that meets expectations and participate in on-going additional certifications and training in order to receive the step increase.

Nothing in this job description limits management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.  The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.  The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.