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.
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration.
SPF for this position is: A valid state driver's license is required for this position. For those positions requiring employees to drive motorized firefighting equipment, 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. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs. Therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your driver's license at that time.
Additional SPFs (Certifications) Required:
Note: All Certifications must be by an accredited agency such as International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board. Copies of certifications must be submitted with your application to receive credit.
- Firefighter I and II certification
- Hazardous Materials Certification at the Operations or Technician Level
- National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) or State EMT certification
- Driver/Operator - Pumper certification
- Incident Command Systems courses ICS-100 & 200
- National Incident Management Systems courses ICS-700 & 800
- Fire Inspector I and II certifications in accordance with NFPA 1031, or willing to obtain the certifications within 24 months of employment.
- Fire Instructor I certification, or willing to obtain this certification within 24 months of employment.
- Fire Officer I certification in accordance with NFPA 1021, or willing to obtain this certification within 24 months of employment.
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.
In addition to the above requirements, position requires one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Lead Firefighter (Basic Life Support). Such duties include: (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) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention.
At this level, assignments would have been performed independently, with little or no supervision, only consulting with the supervisor when unusual problems are encountered. 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.
You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
- Attention to Detail
- Decision Making
- Fire Management
- First Response
- Oral Communication
- Selective Placement Factor
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: Must maintain an adequate level of physical fitness to react quickly and have the stamina to endure the physical exertion and stress of firefighting, they must complete 1 hour of physical activity per day per the NFPA 1500 and annually complete a Fire Department Physical Agility Test outline in NFPA 1500 and NFPA 1583. Fire Department personnel must complete an annual Firefighter physical with Employee Health to be cleared for duty. Incumbent 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. Incumbent must wear this equipment when responding to and during all emergency calls regardless of temperature. Incumbent 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. The requirements of the job are such that the incumbent must maintain alertness, self-control and emotional stability when working under conditions of stress, confusion, panic and where physical injury or death are present.
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/.