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Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazmat)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

This position serves as a Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician) for VAMC Martinsburg WV, adjacent Federal agencies, and designed mutual aid partners.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/09/2026 to 04/20/2026
Salary
$57,736 - $75,059 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Martinsburg, WV
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CBTF-12921132-26-PGM
Control number
864528900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current employees of the Martinsburg VA Medical Center and those who are CTAP eligible. This announcements uses the cut score (job analysis based) method under 5 CFR 3320402.  All applicants tied at the score of 70 will be referred. We will provide the selecting official with a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we will expand the group.

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Duties

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Firefighter Duties - 60%

  • Performs firefighting and rescue operations using proper extinguishing solutions and methods of decontamination.
  • Wears protective gear to prevent accidents, illness, or injury due to encounters with such agents as poisonous gases, radioactive materials, and/or hazardous biological products.
  • Performs crash/rescue (i.e., Helicopters) and firefighting in environments wherein the existence of flammables and explosives makes work operations intense and hazardous.
  • Directs water, operates or deactivates mechanisms and systems, performs standby duty, and remains current on any and all developments which could impact upon the difficulty of rescue and fighting fires/through participation in pre-fire planning and fire prevention exercises.
  • Fully participates in the role of hazardous materials first responder performing duties involving hazardous materials detection, establishment of a "safe perimeter", controlling area access during periods of waiting for the arrival of law enforcement personnel, referencing hazard and response information, and using and maintaining typical hazardous materials response equipment.
  • Performs emergency medical first responder duties through the provision of assistance to those who have become injured via (1) the use of direct pressure and/or tourniquets to stop bleeding, (2) checking for blockages to the airway (3) performing CPR, (4) immobilizing patients for transport, and other comparable functions.
Performs Basic Life Support Duties - 30%
  • Performs non-invasive emergency procedures.
  • Provides patient physical assessments both initial and ongoing and makes decisions based upon the physical exam with regard to priority of patient care.
  • Records and monitors patient vital signs to include pulse, blood pressure, and temperature.
  • Assesses respiratory and cardiac emergency situations and performs CPR or automatic external defibrillation (AED) as necessary.
  • Treats shock and external bleeding with anti-shock garments and direct pressure respectively, as needed.
Performs Hazardous Materials Technician and Materials Operations Duties - 5%
  • Responds to the existence of or the probability for release of hazardous materials with the goal of preventing or establishing control over such release.
  • Plugs, patches, or through other means stops the release of hazardous substances.
  • Identifies hazardous materials/containers, and uses equipment especially designed for monitoring to detect hazardous materials concentrations.
  • Gathers and analyses hazard and response information gleaned from such sources as shippers, manufacturers, and technical sources.
Performs Miscellaneous Support Functions - 5%
  • Maintains the fire station and keeps emergency response equipment in good condition.
  • Checks connections and valves; cleans and drains hoses; makes minor repairs to vehicles; test ladders, vehicles, and equipment; washes and polishes trucks and cleans work and office areas.
  • Performs alarm desk watch duties to monitor and receive alarms and alert personnel.
  • Maintains logbooks and receives and relays pertinent information.
Work Schedule: 72 hour weeks. 24 hour Rotating shifts
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazmat)/PD26192A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Physical Requirements: The work of this position involves extended periods of lifting, heavy moving and restraining of patients. Generally, the work requires recurrent bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, and positioning patients. This frequently occurs under adverse conditions or in confined surroundings. Work may involve adverse weather conditions and long periods of time under stress. The person in this position may be required to lift up to 50-100 pounds. May include heavy physical exertion, extreme heat, smoke and dust in enclosed smoke-filled places. On a regular and recurring basis, the person in this position is exposed to infection and contagious diseases, is required to work in all types of weather conditions, and faces risks and discomforts at the scene of the accidents, to include the possibility of noxious fumes and dangerous substances, requiring to comply with special safety and health precautions and/or to use protective gear. There is also exposure to dangers of high voltage from electrical equipment.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job

  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
  • Physical Requirements: A pre-placement physical is required.
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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, 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, 04/20/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) responding to hazardous materials incidents, including identification, containment, mitigation, and decontamination operations under established hazmat protocols. (6) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection; (7) providing basic life support (BLS) care during medical emergencies and inter-facility transports, including patient assessment, airway management, bleeding control, CPR, AED operation, and stabilization prior to EMS transport.
The following certifications are required and copies must be uploaded with your application..
  • Certification as Firefighter I and II (DOD, IFSAC, Pro-Board)
  • Hazardous Materials Operations (DOD, IFSAC, Pro-Board) certification.
  • Certification as Driver Operator Pumper (DOD, IFSSAC, Pro-Board)
  • National Registry Emergency Medical Technician Basic or State of West Virginia (EMT-B-) certification.
Preferred Certifications Upon Hire:
  • Fire Inspector I & II

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

"Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care."

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

Pamela Mays
Phone
410-691-7766
Email
Pamela.Mays@va.gov
Address
Martinsburg VA Medical Center
510 Butler Avenue
Martinsburg, WV 25405
US

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