The firefighter provides twenty-four-hour fire suppression and protection. The position provides firefighting, driver operating, fire inspection and basic life support through EMT services to the Black Hills Veterans Healthcare System in Hot Springs, SD.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Responds to alarms, combats fire and rescues personnel requiring the full performance of firefighting tasks involving structures, equipment, facilities, crashed and burning aircraft, fuel, hazardous materials and brush fires. Applies techniques of proper firefighting, rescue, toxic or dangerous materials containment and subsequent decontamination methods and extinguishing agents. Directs the utilization of firefighting equipment (i.e., hydrants, hose lines, ladders, nozzles) to suppress and extinguish fires in emergency operations. Alternate as hose-man, ladder-man, hydrant- man, rescue-man, nozzle-man and salvage- man or hand lineman. Uses direct pressure and/or techniques to stop bleeding, check windpipes for obstruction, perform CPR and provide assistance. Conducts fire prevention inspections. Serves as the on-scene commander of a fire/ crash scene until relieved by the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief. Performs firefighter and emergency medical care tasks while at the same time avoiding unnecessary risk to self and others. Responds to fire and rescue incidents; brush, forest and structural fires; hazardous material spills and releases. Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Shift work, Rotating tour of duty (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency) 72-hour work week (48 hours on-48/72 hours off) on a rotating basis to include weekends and holidays. Employees are regularly required to work scheduled and no notice periods of overtime. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Firefighters will accrue leave in accordance to VA handbook 5001. Firefighters earn annual leave at a rate (7,11, or 14 hours per pay period) which is based on the number years they have served. Designated Drug-Testing Position: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. 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.

Requirements

Qualifications

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. REQUIREMENTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATION: Applicants must possess and maintain a valid State motor vehicle operator's license of the appropriate classification or kind. Applicants also may be required to pass a practical road test and provide information on their driving record. Please do not upload a copy of your license at this time. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current, valid, and unrestricted state driver's license. In addition to the meeting the above requirements, you must also meet the following Selective Factors -Certification Requirements* for this position. You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit. 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. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are: Current, valid, national registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT)-Basic certification. Please submit a copy of your certification with your application to receive credit - no photos please. Certification as an accredited Firefighter I & Firefighter II in accordance with NFPA 1001. Please submit a copy of your certification with your application to receive credit - no photos please. Certification as an accredited Hazardous Material Operations Level Responder, in accordance with Chapter 5, Core Competencies, in NFPA 472. Certification as an accredited Fire Apparatus/Pumper Driver Operator, in accordance with NFPA 1002. In addition to the meeting the English Language Proficiency and Selective Placement Factors, you must also meet one of the following requirements in order to qualify at the GS-7 level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 level in the Federal Service that has given you the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Specialized experience includes: controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; 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. These duties would have been performed exercising independent judgment and under general supervision. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Fire ManagementFirst ResponseHazardous MaterialsPatient CareTechnical 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. Physical Requirements/Work Environment: In an emergency, work requires the ability to perform strenuous physical activity for an extended period of time. The most common encountered applications of strength and endurance are lifting and carrying objects (up to 80 lbs.), pulling objects (up to 135 lbs.), and working with objects in front of the body (up to 125 lbs.). Activities involve prolonged periods of time standing, walking, bending, crouching and carrying heavy firefighting tools and related equipment associated with the performance of such duties as maintenance, testing, inspections, drills, suppression and transport of persons. Firefighters work environments are so extremely hazardous, they can kill in an instant. Firefighters can be exposed to significant concentrations of hazardous materials, including carbon monoxide, benzene, Sulphur dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, aldehydes, hydrogen chloride, dichlorofluoromethane, and particulates which are all linked to the development of severe respiratory disease. Firefighting hazards are recurring and require the use of specialized firefighting safety equipment, clothing, and procedures. The daily work environment is varied. Work is performed indoors and outdoors, in areas where it is dirty, dusty, noisy, or greasy, outside in hot and cold inclement/bad weather, and occasionally, in areas where there is danger of exposure to asbestos or lead based paint. 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.

Contacts

• Address VA Black Hills Health Care System 113 Comanche Road Fort Meade, SD 57741 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]