Listing Summary

JOB SUMMARY:

The purpose of this position is to perform firefighting, basic emergency medical and rescue work in emergency situation. This position responds to service calls; provides fire suppression operations and basic life support care under standard protocols and statutes; and maintains apparatus, vehicles, equipment and fire stations.  Employees perform a wide variety of firefighting, basic emergency medical and rescue techniques under direct and limited supervision. Also, other tasks or duties may be assigned as needed or as deemed necessary to fulfil the mission of the City of Dawson, and subject to emergency re-call at all times while employed by the City of Dawson.

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responds to fire, emergency medical and other emergency services call as need. 
• Controls and extinguishes fires by selection of appropriate diameter hoses and nozzles, advancing these appliances to the seat of the blaze and directing extinguishing agents thereto
• Removes people from dangerous or hazardous situations through an approved means, administering basic life support functions and performing key fire suppression responsibilities
• While wearing a personal protective ensemble (PPE), including SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus), performs aggressive search and rescue operations in heated and smoke-filled environments, usually with minimal to no visibility
• Utilizes various forms of firefighting equipment in fire suppression and/or rescue operations.  Examples include the use of halyards on extension ladders to reach windows, balconies and roofs of fire structures and heavy hydraulic actuated tools and hand tools in vehicle extrication
• Removes victims of hazardous environments from structures, sometimes requiring climbing and use of ladders
• Reduces fire loss by the removal of personal property and by overhaul and complete extinguishment of all flaming materials
• Locates, stabilizes, rescues and removes injured and trapped occupants from water, confined spaces, or high angle spaces with the aid of power and hand tools, ropes or other appliances
• Performs fire hazard inspections and pre-incident surveys of residential, commercial and industrial structures.  Further assists with public education efforts as needed to include giving station tours, schools, social clubs, etc… and representing the department and the City of Dawson in meetings with the public in general in a professional manner
• Provides basic emergency medical care including, but not limited to, performing basic life support while wearing PPE while providing basic wound care, splinting fractures or use of an AED or other equipment, assist EMS, Police, Coroner, other fire departments, as needed
• Rescues trapped civilians or fellow firefighters by breaching wood or masonry through the use of sledgehammers, fire axes or other appropriate methods.
• In certain situations, crawls through reduced diameter openings and works within spaces to complete emergency searches or to free victims or other firefighters from a spreading fire
• May perform water or other rescues
• Drags or carries victims (or firefighters) within a hazardous atmosphere to safety in the most efficient and expedient manner
• Searches concealed spaces in ceilings and walls by penetrating, both with pike poles and other tools. 
• Performs salvage and clean-up operations during emergency and non-emergency situations
• Maintains logs of activities and completes reports of emergency responses, equipment used, and other fire or medical records
• Cleans, performs basic repairs and maintains equipment and apparatus in the field and at an assigned station. 
• Performs and assists with maintenance of fire station and surrounding grounds
• Attends continuing training to maintain certifications, to learn new techniques and protocols and to become proficient in new equipment, tools and apparatus
• Studies fire prevention, fire protection, firefighting, emergency medical and rescue techniques and other subjects that may be required or deemed necessary
• Maintains a current level of knowledge at all times related to the provision of basic emergency medical care
• Learns how to operate and drive apparatus in routine and emergency situations
• Properly care for all equipment, tools and vehicles
• Communicates with the established command structure via two-way radio, voice, hand signals, or other verbal or visual cues
• Performs physical training exercise as to maintain physical fitness and readiness
• Due to the nature of any emergency service, it is imperative that all essential personnel be available via phone or pager during off duty hours in order for the department to adequately and consistently staff its various facilities and functions for not only routine work situations, but also for emergency occurrences
• Performs other firefighting and appropriate duties as assigned
• Performs non-emergency related duties that include but are not limited to conducting readiness inspections of apparatus and equipment, flow testing fire hydrants, pre-fire planning of buildings, response area surveys, report writing and public relations detail
• Perform any number of duties that may arise in any emergency situation or as arises but not listed to include and not limited to outside work during and after inclement weather performing rescues, clearing roads, stand-by for downed powerlines, or any number of emergencies that may arise from a thunder storm, tornado, hurricane, hail storm, snow storm, or any weather-related event while using rescue equipment such as power chain saws, brace and stabilization equipment, being lowered or raised by rope or rescue-tri-pod equipment while using a rescue harness for pit-type, man-hole, or confined-space rescue

Knowledge Required by the Position

• Knowledge of the elements of combustion and methods of proper extinguishment
• Knowledge of chemistry as it applies to toxic and flammable properties of various elements
• Ability to perform difficult and dangerous work under extreme emergency, hazardous conditions
• Ability to work as a member of a team
• Knowledge of fire behavior
• Knowledge of all hand tools, appliances, adapters, ladders to include proper raising & lowering techniques and various means of carrying ladders, chain saws, reciprocating saws, hydraulic or battery powered extrication equipment, and how to properly use all manual or electric or gasoline or diesel powered equipment to include but not limited to, (PPV) positive pressure exhaust fans, generators, portable lighting, extension cords, be proficient with ropes and knots, drags and carries, able to lift heavy loads as a team and as an individual in a wide range of situations and weather conditions or emergency situations

Physical Demands

• Must be trained as a Certified Georgia Firefighter as described by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council
• Must complete the Medical Physical as described by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council
• Must be able to complete the Physical Agility Test (PAT)
• Must be able to endure sustained acts of physical exhaustion and endure periods of duty under unfavorable and life-threatening situations
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
• Reaching, pulling, pushing and throwing is required
• Walking, standing, crawling, bending, stooping, jumping, running balancing, smelling, driving, climbing (including ladders)
• Lifting of moderately have (20-25 pound) items and occasionally very heavy (100 pounds and over) items
• Physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment including calculators, kitchen equipment, yard service equipment, fire hoses/nozzles, axes shovels, hand tools, power tools, electric generators and all types of fire and rescue equipment.
• Must be able work, move or carry objects or materials
• Position requires climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking hearing, seeing and repetitive motion
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus
• Must be able to exert over one hundred pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to fifty pounds of force frequently
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and carry equipment/tools up to 40 pounds and must occasionally life and/or move up to 200 pounds
• Physical demand requirements are at levels of those for heavy work
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibration
• The noise level in the work environment is moderate in office settings and loud at an emergency scene
• At times, this classification requires wearing respiratory protective equipment; when assigned to such work, facial hair must be shaven when it interferes with the safe fitting of respiratory protective equipment

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Fire Recruit

• Must be 18 years of age
• Must be a high school graduate or have obtained a GED
• Must complete the Medical Physical as described by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council
• Must complete the Basic Firefighter course and successfully pass the written test and practical test from the Georgia Fire Academy
• Successfully complete the Physical Agility Test
• Oral Interview required
• Psychological Evaluation/Mental Health Evaluation
• Background screening and Fingerprinting from GCIC and NCIC required
• Must possess a valid Georgia Driver’s License (Commercial, or Class E or Class F) and a satisfactory motor vehicle report
• Drug Screen required

Firefighter I

• Must meet all entry-level requirements
• Must have graduated successfully from the Georgia Fire Academy
• Certified NPQ Fire 1 & 2 HazMat Awareness & Operations
• Must maintain Basic Life Support Health Care Provider

Firefighter II

• Must meet all entry-level requirements
• Must maintain Basic Life Support Health Care Provider, Firefighter, Driver Operator and HAZMAT Operations Certifications
• Must meet the continuing education requirements for the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training minimum
• Successfully completed the departmental annual physical requirements
• ICS 100, ICS 700, STICO and PICO
• Successfully complete the Professional Skills Manual and quarterly testing
• Satisfactory performance as a Firefighter I

Firefighter

• Must attend and successfully complete all requirements set forth by the Georgia Fire Academy at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) Basic Firefighter Course
• Must meet all entry level requirements
• Must be trained in Basic Life Support and First-Aid
• Must obtain and maintain current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification
• Must complete annual re-certification requirements as a Certified Firefighter

For All Positions

• No felonies in past ten (10) years* otherwise regulations must be met as set forth by the Georgia Firefighter Standards & Training Council pertaining to individuals that have successfully completed and met the GDC Firefighting qualifications that must be met as determined by the Training Council on individual cases
• Fingerprints and GCIC & NCIC Background checks are required
• Must successfully pass initial drug and alcohol screen and periodic drug/alcohol screening
• Meet and maintain the standards set forth by the Georgia Firefighter Standards & Training Council medical and physical fitness requirements
• Employees must maintain the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the essential duties of their job. 
• Employees will be required to demonstrate initial and ongoing capabilities through several methods which may include but are not limited to evaluation of the employee’s previous and continuing education and training, certifications maintained, assessment processes and check-off evaluations utilizing assigned task books.

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job. The incumbent may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification.