Firefighter (Paid-On-Call)

City of Apple Valley•Apple Valley, MN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Firefighters have the responsibility of protecting life and property by performing fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical services (EMS), hazardous materials incident mitigation, fire prevention, inspections, and public education. They maintain fire equipment, apparatus, fire station facilities, and perform other duties as required. Firefighters work as a member of a team to ensure the overall goals and objectives of the Fire Department are met.

Requirements

Must be a minimum of 18 years of age.
High school graduate or equivalent.
Must possess a valid Minnesota driver's license without restricted driving privileges.
No felony convictions or disqualifying criminal histories within the past seven years.
Must live within 4 minutes of an Apple Valley Fire Station as determined by department policy.
Ability to complete training and possess "Firefighter 1 ", "Firefighter 2" and "NFPA 1072 Haz-Mat Ops" certification from the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board within one year of hire date.
Ability to complete training and possess "Emergency Medical Responder" (EMR) or higher certification from the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board within one year of hire date.
Ability to complete FEMA NIMS IS-100, IS- 200 and IS-700.
Has the ability to regularly respond to emergency calls within established department policies.
Must successfully pass City administered initial and periodic tests, which may include: physical agility test, physical examination (medical), stress test, drug screen, pulmonary function test, and psychological evaluation.
Vision: normal 20/20 vision needed, with or without corrections, requires both near and far acuity, depth perception, field of vision, and focusing. Must be able to distinguish colors. Use of corrective lens is acceptable.
Hearing: normal hearing needed, with or without correction; firefighter must be able to discriminate among similar sounds in environments with great amounts of background noise.
Lifting and Pulling: both from overhead and dead weight positions, a variety of equipment (e.g., hoses, ladders, fans, rescue saws, portable lights, hydraulic rescue tools). Lifting patients from dead weight positions under emergency response conditions. Advancing hose lines at fires, pulling ladder halyard to extend ladders, dragging/removing fire victims. When assistance is available, one person's share of weight load would commonly be 35 – 40 pounds; however, it is not uncommon for a firefighter to have to carry 75 or more pounds of equipment without assistance.
Climbing and/or Balancing: ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolds, ramps, and alike using feet and legs and/or hands and arms during emergency response activities. Must be able to balance and have the ability to steady oneself and keep from falling when walking, standing, crouching, crawling on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. Must be capable of applying a leg lock with either leg upon a ground ladder to provide a safe anchor when operating hose lines or performing rescue work. Capable of working on roofs.
Grasp, Touching, Feeling, and Using Fingers: capable of utilizing both gross and fine muscle functions for the handling (seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hands); fingering (picking, pinching, or otherwise working with the fingers); and feeling (perceiving attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by means of receptors in skin, particularly those of the fingertips). Manipulate items such as SCBA valves, apparatus controls, alarm panel controls, nozzle controls, and tie knots in ropes.
Walking, Crawling, Kneeling, and/or Squatting Mobility: must be able to walk, crawl, kneel, or squat while carrying or lifting equipment and patients. Must be able to balance and have the ability to steady oneself and keep from falling. Must be capable of reaching (extend the hands or arms in any direction); All lifting, dragging and/or walking/crawling/kneeling/squatting mobility requirements are to be met while in full protective gear, which weighs approximately 50 pounds.
Reaching, Bending, and Twisting: picking up and carrying ladders, hoses, and other fire and rescue equipment, raising ladders against a structure, opening hydrants, connecting hose lines, using axes, sledgehammers, upward thrusting of "pike poles" into ceilings to open up access to attic spaces, and rescue tools. Must be capable of reaching and extending the hands and/or arms in any direction frequently and from awkward positions.
Mathematical Ability: Must be able to perform routine mathematical calculations: multiply, divide, use fractions and read graphs.
Language Ability: Must be capable of reading fire protection text books, writing reports with proper grammar and otherwise communicating in writing, using the English language. Must be able to verbally communicate using the English language in an effective, tactful manner.
Reasoning Ability: Must be able to interpret instructions and use logic to solve concrete problems.
Respirator Use: Capable of wearing respirators: SCBA and N95.
No firefighting experience or training is required.

Nice To Haves

An Associates Degree in Public Safety or related field
Fire Apparatus Operator, Hazardous Materials Technician, Public Fire Safety Education, Fire Investigator, and Fire Inspector courses are all desirable qualifications.

Responsibilities

Performs fire fighting activities including driving fire apparatus, operating pumps and related equipment, laying hose and performing fire suppression, containment, ventilation, salvage and overhaul, and extinguishment tasks.
Performs emergency medical services and rescue activities including administering first aid and CPR, operating EMS equipment such as an automatic external defibrillator, portable suction units, etc., performing extrication and providing other assistance as required.
Performs fire prevention activities including public safety education, fire code and life safety code inspections of buildings and businesses within the City and fire investigations to determine origin and cause of fire situations as assigned.
Responds to and assists in all emergency situations when available, including but not limited to: rescuing persons, properties and premises; evacuating, securing and coordinating emergency scenes; operating equipment in an efficient and safe manner; and assisting other emergency agencies in the performance of their duties.
On occasion, may be assigned or responsible for administrative responsibilities, to include completion of incident response reports.
May take a limited leadership role during calls for service providing direction to less experienced firefighting personnel, as assigned by a supervisor or in the absence of a supervisor.
Must be able to accept authority and work as a team member under stress caused by emergencies, danger, or criticism, and must be able to work fast while concentrating very hard.
Maintains and expands knowledge and skills in the areas of fire suppression, rescue, EMS, hazardous materials mitigation, and fire prevention; by attending regular and assigned department training sessions, shall also avail themselves of advanced and outside training per department policies.
Makes suggestions to supervisors regarding the organization structure, operations, equipment used, and may participate on committees from time to time to evaluate department needs.
Serves as a representative of the City, performing duties in a courteous and professional manner that conveys a positive image of city government and that fosters cooperation and support.
Performs such other duties as are consistent with the tasks of the position and as may be assigned by the City.