Summary

Under general supervision responds to emergencies; operates and maintains various fire suppression vehicles and equipment; participates in required training classes and education; assists in maintaining building quarters and grounds; and assists with department administrative duties.

Starting Pay: $15.73 per hour based on 2912 annual hours.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Responds to fire, hazardous materials, and technical rescue incidents, and other emergency requests;
• Lays and connects hose, holds nozzles and directs water streams, raises and climbs ladders and uses chemical extinguishers, bars, hooks, lines and other equipment at fire scenes.
• Performs fire suppression duties, enters blazing buildings, locating and extinguishing fires; searches for and rescues fire victims; performs salvage operations; raises and places ladders to preserve property; overhauls the fire scene for investigation;
• Assists in the maintenance and repair of fire department facilities, apparatus, and equipment, including reporting problems to command staff;
• Assists in performing fire prevention functions, including assisting with pre-fire planning, inspecting fire extinguishers, and speaking to schools and the general public about fire prevention;
• Operates, maintains, and instructs others in the use of specialized equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus, power rescue equipment, air bags, gas detectors, heat detectors, generators, chain saws, and more;
• Operates and maintains radios and other communications equipment, including Computer Aided Dispatch equipment and incident reporting software;
• Participates in drills, demonstrations and courses in firefighting techniques, medical aid, heavy rescue, hazardous material, equipment maintenance and related areas;
• Performs tests of pumps, hoses, hydrants and other emergency equipment;
• Assists with department administrative duties, including preparing reports and maintaining files and statistical information; and demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide seamless customer service
• Conducts tours of station houses for scout, civic and other interested groups, and
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and volunteers, other agencies, and the general public. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

This is a non-supervisory position, however, may occasionally be asked to perform some of the duties of the Apparatus Operator classification in the absence of an Apparatus Operator

Qualifications 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

High school graduation or its equivalent; or any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities

Knowledge Of

Firefighting principles and practices, emergency medical techniques, fire salvage and overhaul operations, standard office practices and procedures.

Skill/Ability To

Operate computers; establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and the general public; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; read and understand manuals, policies, and other documents; and operate and maintain fire suppression vehicles and equipment.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Basic firefighter certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP); and minimum of Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certification and obtain a valid Class B Texas driver's license within 6 months of hire.

Physical Demands 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee frequently is required to stand and walk on various types of surfaces, and constantly is required to reach with hands and arms, bend, kneel, crouch, climb, crawl, twist, and to talk and hear.  The employee frequently is required to drive a vehicle.  The employee must be able to use hands and fingers to write and/or type information into computer and clean and maintain the fire station.  The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects weighing 20 to 50 pounds, such as fire hoses and other equipment and materials, and occasionally must lift and/or move objects weighing 100 pounds or more with or without the assistance of another officer.  The employee must be able to see clearly, with or without vision correction, in close situations, at a distance, and peripherally, and be able to recognize colors and adjust focus.  The employee must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, such as walking while pulling the fire hose and watching for dangerous situations, and must be prepared to be called upon to perform acts of intense physical exertion during emergency situations.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee regularly is exposed to emergency situations in which there is the possibility of danger or physical injury. The employee must frequently work closely with others as part of a team, and must remain calm and professional in tense, emotionally charged, and stressful situations.  The employee is subject to working irregular schedules and overtime on an as-needed basis. The employee occasionally must work under time pressures to meet deadlines and must perform multiple tasks simultaneously (such as safely operating a vehicle, observing situations outside the vehicle, and operating the two-way radio).  The employee constantly must present a positive attitude as a role model in the community.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but may be noisy and distracting.

Residency requirement:  Employees who are likely to be called to work in cases of civil emergency may be required to reside within reasonable response community ranges from their places of work.  City Council has established a reasonable response time is sixty (60) minutes.