FIREFIGHTER - EMT in North Kansas City, Missouri at City of North Kansas City

Summary of Duties

Responds to both emergency and non-emergency situations and performs firefighting, rescue, emergency medical procedures, hazardous material and technical response, fire safety presentations, fire code inspections, vehicle and equipment maintenance, and other related duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Protects life and property by controlling, extinguishing, and preventing fire, and working at the task level within the Incident Command System
• Provides basic life support at an emergency medical scene following direction from Paramedic, per medical protocol;
• Performs routine and special inspection and maintenance activities on all EMS apparatus and fire equipment to ensure proper working order, including trucks, personal protective gear, hoses, nozzles, power tools, extrication tools, ladders, axes, pike poles, radios, lighting, etc.;
• Cleans and maintains stations to ensure sanitary and livable conditions for fire crews on staff;
• Ensure that the appropriate quality and quantity of ambulance supplies are stocked and ready after each medical call;
• Participate in fire suppression, emergency medical service, and rescue trainings and drills to ensure a state of readiness and maintain professional licensure requirements;
• Required to drive ambulances and, in emergencies may be required to drive fire apparatus;
• Participate in community events to promote fire prevention and safety, including station tours, parades, and school presentations;
• Assists with special projects and performs other similar assignments.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None

Budgetary Responsibilities

• None

Minimum Qualifications

• Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent;
• Must possess and maintain certifications and qualifications necessary to meet NFPA 1001 and 1002 standards;
• Must possess and maintain Firefighter I and II certifications and HAZMAT Operations and Awareness Certification.
• Must possess and always maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must possess and maintain an EMT-B License with Missouri State Certification;
• Must possess and maintain current American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation or Red Cross CPR Certifications;
• Must maintain physical fitness and be able to pass annual physical exam as prescribed by NFPA 1582, and is subject to random drug screening.
• Must obtain certification as a Car Seat Technician within the probationary period and keep accreditation for a period of 2 years.​

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Competencies

• Proficiency in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and simple mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, ratios, etc., including basic proficiency in Microsoft Office, Target Solutions, Mobile Patrol, and other specialty software applications;
• Knowledge of applicable State laws and City and Departmental orders, rules, regulations, and policies;
• Knowledge of fire ground tactics, hazardous materials operations, technical rescue operations, and prevention techniques, including understanding hazards involved with electrically energized equipment, and ability to work in dangerous work areas.
• Knowledge of the hazards, use, and maintenance of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus, including use and maintenance of various types of personal protective equipment.
• Knowledge of emergency medical methods and techniques, including understanding and implementing the department’s medical protocols;
• Knowledge of the City geography;
• Knowledge of building construction, including understanding building ingress and egress design, locks and security measures, and understanding how to force entry through those portals.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain adequate and appropriate working relationships with the public, co-workers, and representatives of other agencies, including collaboration within various committees and project teams;
• Ability to explain policies, processes, regulations, and applicable laws within the area of expertise in layman’s terms;
• Ability to understand and operate advanced radio communications equipment, apply appropriate communications model.
• Specialized skills such as a certified Missouri Car Seat Technician, Tactical Medic, Instructor, Haz Mat Technician, etc.
• Ability to maintain composure during an emergency and make decisions of a serious nature under varying degrees of physical and mental stress;
• Ability to operate hand and power tools safely and proficiently under high stress conditions.
• Ability to understand and utilize a personnel accountability system.
• Ability to use sound judgment to detect unusual, harmful, or emergency situations, and act accordingly;
• Ability to comprehend, process, and apply both verbal and written skills appropriate to the job;
• Ability to perform basic fire code compliance inspections in various types of buildings in the city as assigned;
• Ability to raise, lower, extend, and manipulate ladders up to 35’ in length to access otherwise inaccessible areas, to rescue stranded victims, and to construct bridging and restraint systems.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information and professional boundaries;
• Ability to perform basic fire code compliance inspections in various types of buildings in the city as required.
• Ability to use City resources effectively and efficiently.
• Ability to execute other duties as assigned.

Work Environment, Physical Demands, and Other Requirements

• May be required to climb, reach with hands and arms, sit, stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, talk or hear, smell, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
• Demonstrate physical endurance, agility, strength, and stamina under emergency situations. At times, sustained performance of moderately demanding work, typically involving climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and may include the lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (up to 90 pounds).
• Perform duties requiring frequent pulling of 50 pounds or more, such as removing hoses from the apparatus, pulling ceilings, starting power equipment, and opening doors on the apparatus
• Use appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), including a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), weighing 60 pounds for a duration of 1 hour, which requires the ability to tolerate increased respiratory workloads while performing tasks in environments that may be immediately dangerous to life (IDLH).
• At times perform rescue duties requiring searching, finding, and rescue-dragging or carrying victims that can weigh over 200 pounds to safety.
• Must be able to distinguish colors, smells, and sounds.
• Position frequently works in an outdoor environment with exposure to weather-related heat and cold, rain, wind, and related elements.
• May be exposed to working in extreme heat and cold (not weather related), close quarters, high and precarious places, moving mechanical parts, risk of electrical shock, vibration, fumes or airborne particles, and infectious diseases.
• May be required to work long or require irregular hours without breaks and be required to serve in an “on-call” capacity.

The City of North Kansas City, MO is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) and does not discriminate based on age, sex, marital status, race, color, creed, mental or physical disability, religion, national origin, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income, or any other status protected by local, state, or federal law, in the admission or access to, or employment in, its programs or activities.