Firefighter (BLS/HazMat Technician)

Federal Emergency Management Agency•Round Hill, VA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Fire Services Branch at the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center (MWEOC), in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, approximately 60 miles west of Washington, DC. The firefighter follows firefighting standards and techniques and performs firefighting procedures and operations. Assignments include operating and maintaining firefighting trucks and equipment, controlling and extinguishing hazardous fires in a variety of structures, providing basic life support assessment and treatment, and responding to hazardous materials, technical rescue, aviation, and related incidents. MWEOC employees have emergency assignments and are considered deployed in place. Planned and unplanned exercises and activations may require long hours, nights, weekends, and holidays. Employees must use a government-issued electronic device, including a cellular phone; be available for recall during emergencies; and work in locations above and below ground. FEMA employees may also be recalled around the clock for emergency operations, work irregular hours or outside their official duty station, travel extensively with little advance notice, and serve at emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions. The position has promotion potential, subject to performance at a higher level, continuing need, and administrative approval. It is a primary firefighter position covered by special federal firefighter retirement provisions, with an age requirement at initial appointment unless prior qualifying firefighter service may be credited. Selected applicants must complete a three-week in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland, within six months of onboarding; FEMA covers travel expenses.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required.
Successfully pass and maintain a background investigation for a Top-Secret clearance; selected applicants may also undergo a credit check.
Register for Selective Service, if required.
Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements; federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band.
Be able to obtain and maintain a government credit card.
Be able to deploy with little or no advance notice anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period.
Hold a valid state driver's license.
Meet the specialized-experience requirement for the grade sought: GS-05 requires one year equivalent to GS-04; GS-06 requires one year equivalent to GS-05; GS-07 requires one year equivalent to GS-06; GS-08 requires one year equivalent to GS-07. Experience may be from federal, state, local government, or the private sector.
For GS-05, demonstrate experience responding to rescue and fire emergencies for an emergency response unit and operating firefighter and rescue emergency equipment and/or vehicles.
For GS-06, demonstrate experience responding to rescue and fire emergencies for an emergency response unit, operating firefighter and rescue emergency equipment and/or vehicles, and working with a team while providing CPR/AED services within established protocols.
For GS-07, demonstrate experience controlling and extinguishing fires in a variety of structures, operating and maintaining firefighter and EMS equipment and vehicles, and working with a team while providing EMS services within established protocols.
For GS-08, demonstrate experience controlling and extinguishing fires in difficult and dangerous situations across a variety of response settings and ensuring firefighting, rescue, and EMS equipment and vehicles are operational and ready for use.
For GS-05, possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certifications.
For GS-06, possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, CPR/AED, and the listed valid state driver's license.
For GS-07, possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, CPR/AED, Driver/Operator Pumper, and State or National Registry EMT Basic (EMT-B) certifications.
For GS-08, possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, CPR/AED, Driver/Operator Pumper and Aerial, and State or National Registry EMT Basic (EMT-B) certifications.
Obtain the certifications required for the grade within the stated deadlines: GS-05 CPR/AED within 12 months; GS-06 Driver/Operator Pumper within 12 months; GS-07 Driver/Operator Aerial and National Registry EMT certification level within 12 months; GS-08 National Registry EMT certification level within 12 months, and Fire Inspector I, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Confined Space Rescue within 24 months.
For initial appointment to this primary firefighter position, be under age 37, unless previous qualifying firefighter experience under CSRS/FERS can be credited toward the age requirement.
Complete a pre-employment physical paid for by the agency.
Be subject to random drug testing as a Testing Designated Position.
Attend a three-week in-person training course in Emmitsburg, Maryland, within six months of onboarding.
New Federal competitive service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period.
No educational substitution is available; applicants must meet the experience and certification qualifications.

Responsibilities

Follow firefighting standards and techniques and perform firefighting procedures and operations.
Use, operate, and maintain firefighting trucks and equipment, including lines, hand tools, pumps, nozzles, and foam generators.
Operate emergency equipment to control and extinguish hazardous fires in a variety of structures.
Perform basic life support assessment and treatment of patients.
Respond to hazardous materials, technical rescue, aviation, and other related incidents.
Fulfill emergency assignments, including response to planned and unplanned exercises and activations; be subject to recall for emergency operations.
Work in locations both above and below ground and, as emergency operations require, at locations other than the official duty station.