JOB SUMMARY

The purpose of this classification is to respond to fire/medical emergency calls for protection of life and property, to include controlling and extinguishing fires, performing search/rescue, and providing emergency medical care to sick/injured persons.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Responds to emergency calls for fire suppression, medical assistance, hazardous materials incidents, motor vehicle accidents, natural disasters, explosions, bomb threats, terrorism, rescue operations, downed power lines, and other emergency situations; responds to information received from dispatcher; searches premises and rescues victims.
• Maintains a state of readiness/preparation for emergency response; checks/maintains stock of equipment and supplies on fire vehicles and in fire station; tests hoses/pumps on apparatus; re-loads equipment and apparatus following response to emergency calls; prepares apparatus for subsequent emergencies.
• Provides protection of life and property; suppresses, controls, and extinguishes fires; performs search, rescue, extrication of victims, and forcible entries; assists individuals from burning structures; positions/climbs ladders of various heights to access upper levels of buildings and perform rescue operations; establishes openings in buildings for entrance, ventilation, or salvage; ventilates smoke and gas from buildings; performs salvage operations such as throwing salvage covers, sweeping water, and removing debris; assists with cleanup activities.
• Drives, operates, and monitors a variety of fire/emergency vehicles/apparatus as needed; determines best route to reach location of emergency calls; performs driving functions in a safe and efficient manner under various conditions, including day/night hours, in congested traffic, in adverse weather conditions, and in emergency situations involving speeds in excess of posted limits; positions apparatus and equipment for optimal use of equipment and hose.
• Locates water supplies to fight fires; lays out, connects, and maneuvers fire hoses/nozzles; operates pumps and directs stream of water or chemicals onto fire; disconnects and rolls used hoses.
• Performs Emergency Medical Technician functions; administers basic life support, first aid, and artificial respiration to sick/injured persons; works to stabilize patients at incident scenes; determines nature and extent of illness/injury; obtains, records, and monitors patients’ vital signs; administers initial treatment at emergency scene; performs invasive and non-invasive procedures on patients with life-threatening conditions, per established procedures or as authorized/directed by physicians; communicates with medical personnel at emergency treatment facility to obtain instructions regarding further treatment and to arrange for reception of victims at treatment facility; performs physical lifting techniques associated with moving patients between incident site, stretcher, or ambulance; completes or ensures completion of required records/reports.
• Inspects buildings for pre-fire plans, fire hazards, and compliance with fire prevention ordinances; inspects structures for stability.
• Provides assistance to other public service agencies or outside organizations as appropriate; assists law enforcement personnel with traffic control; assists with public service functions such as rescuing animals, cleaning up road hazards, or other tasks as assigned.
• Operates or utilizes various emergency vehicles and emergency/medical equipment, tools and supplies, which may include a fire truck/engine, aerial apparatus, ambulance/rescue truck, pumps, generator, air compressor, hose, hydrant, nozzle, adapter, ground ladder, extinguisher, self-contained breathing apparatus, extrication tools, hydraulic tools, air bags, cutting torch, chain saw, mechanic tools, axe, gas detector, ventilation fan, glucometer, pulse-oximeter, sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, immobilization equipment, medical/first aid supplies, mechanic tools, hand tools, or radio communications equipment.
• Follows safety procedures, utilizes safety equipment, and monitors work environment to ensure safety of employees and other individuals.
• Monitors inventory levels of departmental supplies; initiates orders for new or replacement materials.
• Performs general maintenance tasks necessary to keep vehicles, buildings, quarters, hydrants, apparatus, equipment, and tools in operable condition, which may include inspecting/testing equipment, inspecting hydrants, replacing fluids, greasing equipment, replacing parts, washing/cleaning equipment, or cleaning station/quarters; monitors equipment operations to maintain efficiency and safety; reports faulty equipment for necessary maintenance work.
• Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, logs, checklists, fire/hazardous materials incident reports, run reports, casualty reports, patient care reports, billing/insurance forms, maintenance reports/records, inspection forms/records, hose records, hydrant test reports, SCBA records, pre-fire plans, drawings, training records, or other documents.
• Receives various forms, reports, correspondence, logs, checklists, inspection forms, maintenance records, pre-fire plans, blueprints, maps, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, protocols, medical books, publications, manuals, reference materials, or other documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards, or retains as appropriate.
• Operates a personal computer or general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of word processing, database, email, Internet, or other computer programs.
• Maintains records, logs, and files of work activities; maintains current map books, manuals, policies/procedures, and other materials for reference and/or review.
• Communicates via telephone and/or two-way radio; communicates effectively and coherently over radio channels while initiating and responding to radio communications; provides information and assistance; takes and relays messages; responds to requests for service or assistance.
• Creates/maintains positive public relations; provides information and education to the public regarding fire safety, fire prevention, and firefighting; conducts blood pressure checks for the public; installs smoke detectors; participates in parades and civic events.
• Communicates with supervisors, employees, dispatchers, other departments, fire officials, law enforcement officials, medical providers, patients, family members, witnesses, property owners/occupants, utility companies, civic organizations, the public, outside agencies, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.
• Maintains a comprehensive, current knowledge and awareness of applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; maintains an awareness of new equipment, methods, procedures, and advances in the profession; reads professional literature; maintains professional affiliations; participates in physical fitness training and continuing education activities; attends shift meetings, workshops, and seminars as appropriate.
• Performs general/maintenance work associated with maintaining fire station, grounds, quarters, and related facilities; operates related equipment.
• Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed; performs field training for new hires.
• Performs other related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Requires a High School Diploma. Previous experience and or training involving firefighting and emergency medical care. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid Georgia Certified Fire Fighter Certification within one year of hire. Must obtain and maintain a valid Georgia Emergency Medical Technician A-Certification while employed, Equivalency of National Registry Advanced level at time of hire.

Special Qualifications:

Must participate in regular continuing education activities as required to maintain proper level of certifications. Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid drivers’ license issued by the State of Georgia with appropriate endorsement at the date of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to determine, calculate, tabulate, and/or summarize data; ability to perform subsequent actions in relation to these computational operations.
• Ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others in coordinating activities of a project, program, or designated area of responsibility.
• Ability to operate and control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials requiring complex and rapid adjustments.
• Ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.
• Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; ability to utilize principles of fractions; ability to interpret graphs.
• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form that requires semi-routine standardized work with some latitude for independent judgment concerning choices of action.
• Ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is very heavy which requires exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work may be performed with exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature and noise extremes, fumes, smoke, hazardous materials, fire, unsafe structures, heights, confined spaces, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, bright/dim light, toxic agents, disease, pathogenic substances, violence, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, or explosives.