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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.

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.

• 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.

• Emergency Care
• Fire Management
• First Response
• Hazardous Materials
• Patient Care
• Technical Competence

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.

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.