Firefighter (intermediate Life Support)

Firefighter (Intermediate Life Support)

This position provides fire prevention and protection/suppression services including emergency medical care. The degree of hazard ranges from low to high, and includes eight three to four story mixed occupancy buildings. Responsibilities include performing firefighting operations, search and rescue operations, emergency decontaminations, mobile hospital deployments, Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) response, intra-facility emergency medical transport, security operations within capabilities of the fire department, humanitarian assistance, emergency operations and incident command, and hazardous materials response. Performs Fire Safety Inspections to reduce life and property hazards. Serves as a team member effectively controlling and extinguishing fires, operates various nozzles, hose lines, connects to and operates fire hydrants, forcible entries, ventilates structures, uses ground ladders, performs/assists rescue operations, uses a variety of hand tools, hydraulic tools and portable fire extinguishers, performs salvage and overhaul. Performs Advance Cardiac Life Support in strict compliance with VA, standing orders, and protocols. Reports in a clear, concise manner, orally or in writing, what injuries were identified and what patient care was administered at the emergency scene and in transit. Prepares a complete written report on each emergency ambulance response. Prepares and maintains a variety of charts, reports and logs in support of the EMS. Serves as a member of the Medical Center Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT). Drives the fire apparatus to the scene of the emergency following a predetermined route, or selects an alternate route when necessary; positions the apparatus, considering factors such as wind direction, water sources, hazards from falling structures, etc.

Work Schedule: Firefighters work a rotating shift work; seventy-two (72) hours per week. Fire Department operates twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week in which employees are assigned to alternating shifts of twenty-four (24) hours. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment: You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Pre-employment physical required. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements. Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. Must be certified in providing continued care at the scene of the medical emergency or accident until relieved by a higher level of care. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/15/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-07, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; conducts rescue operations; detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; operation of fire communications equipment; controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Communication
• Emergency Care
• Fire Management
• Hazardous Materials

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements

The Firefighter/EMT is subject to hazardous duty, potentially imminent danger situations, and must maintain a good physical condition. The work requires regular and recurring above average physical exertions due to inspections, surveys, fire suppression activities and emergency services. Must be able to crawl, walk, run climb stairs, climb ladders, manipulate specialized fire related equipments, work at heights of 40+ feet, carry heavy loads and wear specialized fire and chemically protective personal protective equipment. Must be able to maintain fitness standards in accordance with the Firefighter physicals that are conducted annually. Must pass a fitness for duty physical. This physical will include examinations for both firefighter and hazardous materials response. The medical examination will include a history relating to the handling and exposure to hazardous materials and the ability to wear any required personal protective equipment including respirators, under conditions including temperature extremes that may be expected at the work site. Must maintain physical condition to don personal protective equipment consisting of: coat, helmet, boots, gloves, bunker pants and self-contained breathing apparatus, which weighs 75 pounds. Must wear this equipment when responding to and during all emergency calls (excluding ambulance) regardless of temperature. Expected to enter buildings and atmospheres that are unsafe due to fire, oxygen deficiencies, etc. and perform very strenuous types of work carrying heavy equipment and victims. The requirements of the job are such that one must maintain alertness, self-control, and emotional stability when working under conditions of stress, confusion, panic and where physical injury or death are present. Subject to overtime call back and mandatory overtime to ensure mandatory compliance with minimum crew manning requirements. Performance Test Agencies may require candidates to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the minimum physical abilities necessary to perform safely and efficiently the essential tasks of a particular position. The abilities may be demonstrated through prior satisfactory performance in the same or a similar position, or agencies may choose to use a task demonstration. A task demonstration must be directly related to the essential job tasks, and thus, must consist of a sample of operations or steps that reflect a reasonably faithful representation of those selected job tasks. Any demonstration required must be uniformly applied to all similarly qualified candidates; the level of proficiency required cannot exceed that which is required in actual job performance; and reasonable accommodation must be provided where necessary.

Selective Placement Factors

Some positions in this series require knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to those described in this qualification standard. For such positions, job-specific selective factors may be required to ensure that applicants have the background necessary for successful performance in the position to be filled. This position includes Selective Placement Factors (