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Firefighter (Basic Life Support Haz Material Technician)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician) position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Alexandria VA Health Care System.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/26/2022 to 05/02/2022
Salary
$44,740 to - $58,158 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Alexandria, LA
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
7
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CARZ-11466839-22-GWJ
Control number
650558700

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

  • Duties: Performs work to control and extinguish fires, rescue persons endangered by fire, and reduce or eliminate potential fire hazards;
  • Serves as a team member effectively controlling and extinguishing fires;
  • Operates various nozzles and hose lines, makes connections to and operates fire hydrants;
  • Performs forcible entries, ventilates structures and carries, raises, and lowers ground ladders;
  • Performs or assists in rescue operations, uses a variety of hand tools, hydraulic tools and portable fire extinguishers;
  • Performs salvage and overhaul;
  • Performs specialized rescues and hazardous materials spill response;
  • Serves as a driver/operator of pumpers, ambulances, and special service vehicles;
  • Provides stand-by and other protective measures as required for hazardous operations such as confined space entry, helicopter landings and liquid oxygen deliveries;
  • Operate and use fire extinguishing equipment carried on the apparatus such as foam and dry chemical extinguishing agents;
  • Provide efficient and immediate medical care to injured or ill patients using basic life support measures;
  • Assess the patient to determine the approach or combination of approaches, that will most effectively sustain the patient's life;
  • Operates emergency and patient transport vehicles and communication equipment;
  • Operates specialized medical equipment, controls bleeding, treats shock, immobilizes fractures, etc.;
  • Responds to hazardous material/Chemical Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) incidents and surveys the scene to stop/control the release;
  • Identifies hazards, collects/interprets data, determines container damage and assists with strategy/tactics development;
  • Performs advance control and confinement operations;
  • Decontaminates personnel, equipment and supplies which were exposed to hazardous materials/ CBRNE releases;
  • Completes all documentation and reporting requirements for the fire service;
  • Performs related duties as required.

Work Schedule: 48/72 - Rotating
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

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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
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
AND
Selective Placement Factors: In addition to the meeting the English Language Proficiency you must also meet the following Selective Placement Factors for this position.

Selective Placement Factors are skills, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job. Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit.
  • International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or NFPA Proboard Firefighter II certification
  • National Registry or Pennsylvania Department of Health Emergency Medical Technician certification
  • International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or NFPA Proboard Hazardous Material Technician certification
  • International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or NFPA Proboard Driver / Operator Pumper certification
  • International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or NFPA Proboard Fire Inspector 2 or obtain one within 2 years of employment
  • International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or NFPA Proboard Fire Inspector 1
AND

Specialized Experience: MUST possess one (1) full year of specialized experience equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6) in Federal Service. Such duties may include: (1) providing emergency medical first responder or higher medical level pre-hospital patient assessments by conducting systematic physical examinations to determine patient's condition and treatment; (2) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (4) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (5) operation of fire communications equipment; (6) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (7) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention. (This experience must be documented in your resume.)

AND

MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a maximum entry age for an initial appointment; applicants cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit, but who have previously served as a federal employee in a covered position, may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: (1) meet all applicable qualifications for the position and (2) will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal fire service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57.

AND 

DRIVER'S LICENSE: All applicants must possess a current, unrestricted valid state Driver's License.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
  • Emergency Care
  • Fire Management
  • First Response
  • Hazardous Materials
  • Patient Care
  • Technical Competence


IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; religious; 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.

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

Physical Requirements: Applicant 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. Applicant must wear this equipment when responding to and during all emergency calls (excluding ambulance) regardless of temperature. Applicant is 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.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (318) 466-4000.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. 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/.

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

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

  • Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
  • Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
  • Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.
Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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