Firefighter Job Description
Distinguishing Characteristics
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
- Respond to emergency and non-emergency incidents; provide appropriate services as required including emergency rescue and fire suppression; perform search and rescue for trapped or injured persons; perform emergency medical and first aid services as needed; prepare reports regarding emergency incidents as assigned.
- Drive fire apparatus and/or operate fire apparatus on emergency calls or at incident scene.
- Operate numerous types of rescue, emergency and fire suppression equipment and apparatus as necessary; operate, inspect, repair and perform other technical tasks related to maintaining the apparatus, equipment, and facilities in the area of assignment.
- Participate in cleaning and maintaining facilities, grounds, equipment and apparatus; ensure that appropriate conditions are maintained at assigned facility; ensure that all equipment and apparatus is in a constant state of readiness for emergency calls.
- Participate in a variety of fire prevention operations, activities and programs including training, fire investigations; code enforcement and equipment operation and maintenance; participate in activities and operations in response to natural disasters, major accidents, incidents involving hazardous materials, and other emergency situations; identify, analyze and avoid hazardous and dangerous situations.
- Respond to a variety of hazardous materials incidents; to perform defensive or offensive activities which will be dependent upon levels of certification in accordance with state and federal regulations; maintain knowledge and training about hazardous materials.
- Study street and occupancy locations in assigned district; study building plans and fire prevention systems in buildings in assigned district.
- Assist with transportation of patients to medical care facilities; evaluate the condition of patients and assess pertinent information about medical profile and injuries; determine treatment in accordance with EMT training; maintain contact with medical facility to prepare for patient arrival.
- Participate in a variety of activities requiring travel including off-site inspections; respond to incidents on an on-call basis and under emergency conditions.
- Provide staff support and assistance as required including a variety of boards; coordinate community workers with work details
- Use departmental computer equipment to input, review and access records, information and other various data.
- Give tours of assigned facility, demonstrate fire equipment and apparatus, and participate in other educational programs for various groups and general public pertaining to a variety of life safety topics.
- Assist in the snow and ice removal operations and activities.
- Conduct fire suppression training classes.
- Operate rescue vehicle and related equipment; clean and maintain supplies, materials and equipment aboard rescue vehicles; submit requisitions for additional materials and supplies as necessary.
- Prepare emergency medical incident reports regarding patient and incident information.
- Perform inspection and maintenance on fire hydrants in accordance with Fire/Emergency Management Department policy.
- Perform other related job duties and related job tasks as assigned by upper level supervisory staff.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities in addition to those listed above while assigned to the Airport Fire/Crash Station
- Monitor the Airport’s security program including access control, monitoring and responding to computer system, I.D. photographs and security inspections; assist with Airport driving and SIDA training.
- Assist with the implementation of safety and regulatory compliance with staff, FAA, FTCC, tenants and airlines; assist with the interpretation of regulations, policies and procedures; verify compliance.
- Assist with the Far Part 139 Refueling Safety Inspections program; conduct daily and quarterly inspections of fueling equipment.
- Staff aircraft rescue and firefighter operation centers.
- Monitor communication systems including telephones and airfield radios; answer questions and provide information to the public and other departments; conduct tours as requested; maintain and investigate "lost and found" items.
- Maintain a variety of logs, records and files including runway conditions; weather forecasts and "incident" reports; prepare and distribute reports as necessary.
Desired Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
- Experience: One year of experience in firefighting, or airport operations preferred.
- Education: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by specialized training in fire suppression, airport security, airport operations, or a related field.
Necessary Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
Knowledge of:
- Policies and procedures of the City of Fayetteville, Fire/Emergency Management Department, and Fayetteville Regional Airport
- Federal, state and local aviation policies (when ARFF assigned), procedures, rules and regulations
- Operational characteristics, services and activities of comprehensive fire suppression, rescue techniques and methods, and prevention programs and emergency medical services
- Advanced principles and practices of fire suppression, emergency medical and technical, rescue procedures
- Operation, maintenance and uses of modern fire fighting apparatus and equipment
- C.P.R., EMT, and First Aid procedures
- Methods, techniques and equipment used in providing emergency medical services
- Techniques and practices of fueling inspection
- Principles and practices of training
- Technical and administrative activities of fire suppression, fire prevention and emergency medical services
- Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes and regulations
- General fire and building codes
- Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and related software and equipment
- The geography of the city and surrounding area
- Specialized communications equipment
- Various building construction techniques and the consequence of each type on fire suppression and prevention activities
- Safe work practices and procedures
- English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation
- Principles and procedures of record keeping
- Approved procedures and policies for hazardous or toxic materials storage, transport and clean up
Ability to:
- Work under stress and use good judgment in emergency situations
- Professionally and tactfully respond to requests and inquiries from the general public
- Oversee and assist in resolving a variety of situations characterized by conflict or danger
- Operate specialized emergency communications equipment
- Operate and maintain a variety of airport and fire rescue equipment
- Participate in providing the full range of emergency medical services and use a variety of specialized medical equipment
- Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of goals
- Prepare and safely operate department vehicles, apparatus and other emergency equipment
- Prepare clear and concise reports
- Establish and maintain cooperative-working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including city and other government officials, community groups and the general public
- Interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws and regulations
- Work irregular hours including weekends, holidays and extended hours in emergency, disaster or other situations influenced by workload or staffing difficulties
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
- Pass a physical examination as determined by the City of Fayetteville’s contracted healthcare provider
- Sufficiently wear/use any personal protective equipment provided by the City of Fayetteville
- Maintain mental capacity, which permits:
- quickly making sound decisions and using good judgment
- demonstrating intellectual capabilities
- Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:
- making observations including discerning colors
- reading and writing
- operating assigned equipment
- communicating with others including equipment such as airfield radio and frequency
- assessing the situation at an incident scene
- communicating with others
- Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities which may include the following:
- participate in fire suppression activities
- running, walking, standing, bending, crouching, crawling, or sitting for extended periods of time
- lifting, carrying, and/or moving equipment and injured/deceased persons
- pushing and pulling various objects
- climbing stairs and ladders
- performing life-saving and rescue procedures
- operating assigned equipment including motor vehicles.
- Effectively deal with personal danger, which may include exposure to:
- hazardous chemicals and materials
- fumes and smoke
- intense heat
- electrical hazards
- confined or high work places
- dangerous animals
- extremely loud noises
- hazards of emergency driving
- hazards associated with traffic control and working in and near traffic
- natural and man-made disasters
Supervision Received And Exercised
Receives general supervision from upper level supervisory staff.May supervise subordinate firefighters from the Master Firefighter Level.
Licensing And Certification
- Possession of, or ability to obtain a valid North Carolina driver's license for the level of vehicles operated.
- Possession of, or ability to obtain within one (1) year of hire date, the following State of NC certifications/credentials:
- NC Firefighter Levels I and II
- NC EMT
- NC Hazardous Materials Responder Level I
- Satisfactory completion of ALL levels of the Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Management Department’s Driver/Operator Qualification Program within four (4) years of hire date:
- When assigned to Hazardous Materials: Possession of appropriate NC Hazardous Materials certifications
Special Requirements:
- Must be able to meet and maintain vehicle insurability with the City of Fayetteville
- Must be able to wear proper safety equipment as determined by the department head in accordance with established OSHA regulations
- When assigned to Hazardous Materials, must be under Fayetteville Fire Department's Hazardous Materials medical monitoring program