Lead Firefighter (Basic Life Support)

Summary

Serves as one of three Lead Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians in the Fire Protection Section of the Safety and Occupational Health Service working a 48-hour shift, 72-hour work week. Primarily, fire protection responsibility includes a 450-bed Medical Center that is part of the VA Maryland Health Care System, consisting of three medical centers, one satellite nursing home, two satellite outpatient clinics and several outreach centers.

Duties

• Major Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to: Work Leader/Fire Suppression/First Responder Assigning firefighters to riding positions on fire apparatus, directing, and performing inspection and training activities and ensuring the conduct of daily station and equipment inspection and maintenance. In the absence of the Assistant Chief, performs these duties independently reporting directly to the Fire Chief. Responsible for adhering to the established Standard Operating Guidelines of the Fire Protection Section as established by the Fire Chief. Responds to fire alarms or other emergencies and calls for assistance from both the Medical Center and the surrounding communities. Performs the duties of nozzleman, hoseman, hydrantman or fire apparatus driver/operator as assigned by the Assistant Chief. In the absence of the Assistant Chief and Fire Chief, the incumbent serves as overall incident commander and is responsible for issuing orders and directing firefighters and Medical Center employees, including Nursing staff and Police, in a plan of attack to extinguish fires promptly and effectively, saves lives and property and limit or prevent environmental harm. Responds with sufficient manpower, apparatus, and equipment to assist the local community with water rescues and hazardous materials incidents in which the incumbent may be called upon to render technical advice and assistance in resolving the emergency. Receives daily assignments from the Assistant Chief, provides direction to the crew during station/equipment maintenance activities and while performing fire safety and fire protection systems inspections. Provides input to the Assistant Chief for the purpose of evaluating employee performance, assisting in the resolution of employee grievances, and taking or recommending disciplinary or other personnel actions where appropriate. Operating as a member of a team during fire response, selects the proper supply or attack hose lines, places these lines in service, selects appropriate tools, dons self-contained breathing apparatus, affects forcible entry into structures, advances a hose line to the seat of the fire, effects extinguishment, and performs search and rescue operations. As assigned by the Assistant Chief, may function as driver/operator and is responsible for the efficient and safe operation of fire and rescue apparatus. Performs the daily inspection, testing and maintenance of two Medical Center owned fire apparatus, one rescue vehicle, one rescue boat, motor, and trailer, two ambulances and all associated equipment. This includes operational inspections and testing to ensure fire pumps, breathing apparatus and emergency generators are in a state of operational readiness. Emergency Medical Technician (Basic Life Support) Operates the Medical Center ambulance for response to medical emergencies, including life threatening emergencies, to transport patients from one Medical Center building to another, or transport to off-station facilities for higher levels of care as directed by responding medical staff. Performs noninvasive procedures following State and National Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Life Support (BLS) Protocols. BLS duties: Employs all sources of information to determine the nature of the person's illness or extent of injury. Performs initial and on-going focused patient assessment and physical examination to determine priority of patient care based upon the assessment findings. Takes, records and monitors patient's baseline vital signs including temperature, blood pressure and pulse. Interviews the patient to identify preexisting medical conditions and obtain a comprehensive drug history. Controls external bleeding with direct pressure and treats the patient for shock and shock-like symptoms. Hazardous Materials Operations First responder to hazardous materials incidents occurring on station and performs as a team member in determining the materials/chemicals involved, the degree of life…

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/06/2026. 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-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT: 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. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are as follows: Certification Requirements: Certified Fire Officer 1 in accordance with NFPA 1021 Certification as Fire Inspector II in accordance with NFPA 1031. Certified as Operations Level Responder in accordance with Chapter 5, Core Competencies of NFPA 472, and is currently State of Maryland certified, or Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Life Support (BLS) or higher level of medical training. Copies of certifications (IFSAC or Pro Board) MUST be submitted by the closing date of the announcement; failure to submit any required certifications will result in the non-referral of the applicant. 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 the 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Experience that demonstrated the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position. Such duties may 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. Driver's License Requirement; A Valid State motor vehicle operator's license is required. Applicant may be required to provide their license at the time of interview. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued driver's license. Preferred Experience: C…

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.