Fire Lieutenant en City of Hendersonville

Responsible for performing difficult public safety responsibilities serving as a first-line supervisor and participating in firefighting and emergency medical rescue work.  An employee in this class is responsible for performing all general duty firefighting work as the on-site supervisor with assigned firefighting team. Emphasis of the work is on taking command of a fire or emergency situations and may relinquish the command upon arrival of senior officer. Work includes supervising or providing emergency medical services, directing fire tactics, and use and placement of equipment such as hoses, ladders, hand tools, and cutting tools. This employee also participates in training classes, cleans fire equipment, and cleans the station house as a member of a fire team. Employees in this class also perform secondary administrative responsibilities such as managing technical rescue equipment and training, pre-fire planning and incident surveys, hose testing & maintenance, vehicle maintenance & records, and other areas. Work is generally performed under emergency conditions and frequently involves personal hazard. Work standards and procedures are well established and understood but independent judgment and initiative is required as an on-scene supervisor at fires or emergency medical calls. Work is performed under the supervision of a Battalion Chief or his/her designated officer and is reviewed through observation, reports, and discussion concerning the quality and effectiveness of fire efforts and related duties. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS 

• Serves in the capacity of an on-scene supervisor in response to emergencies; directs firefighters to connect hoses to hydrants and in the application of water or chemicals to fires; operates portable fire extinguishers to combat small fires; leads the forceful entry into burning structures and searches for and rescues occupants; performs basic life support, CPR, and basic first aid. 
• Operates fire apparatus in absence of driver engineer; connects pump to water source and hoses to the pump; calculates friction loss, pumps water, and maintains pressures for nozzles based upon the hose sizes and fire conditions; monitors radio transmission and relays messages. 
• Assumes responsibility at fire, emergency and non-emergency scenes; assesses situations, determines suppression methods, makes first attack on the fire, and determines placement of engine until arrival of senior officer. 
• Participates in post-fire operations such as cleaning and salvage; covering furniture and fixtures, sweeping and mopping water to minimize water damage; participating in retrieving, cleaning, and replacing all equipment. 
• Completes and ensures OSHA, NFPA and NCDOI reporting compliance. 
• Participate in supervisory information exchanges, discussing incident reviews, daily assignments and tasks, maintenance needs, staffing, etc.  
• Counsels fire personnel regarding such areas as appearance, disciplinary actions, standard operating procedures, guidelines, etc. 
• Participants and/or provides training to ensure proficiency in all firefighting techniques, training for knowledge of all equipment and apparatus as well as their operations. 
• Conducts training evolutions including directly administering probationary programs for new employees. 
• Conducts fire prevention education and helps develop escape plans. 
• Ensures all fire suppression personnel are outfitted with proper gear to maintain safety. 
• Participates or provides pre-fire planning programs; conducts residential and business fire prevention inspections; prepares scale drawings and pre-plan firefighting strategies; maintains knowledge of sprinkled buildings and hydrant locations. 
• Participates in routine maintenance and servicing of equipment such as checking and filling self-contained breathing apparatus, washing and waxing trucks, checking batteries, fuel and oil levels, cleaning and drying hose, and inspecting hose/hose connections for damage and wear. 
• Attends lectures, studies manuals, participates in fire drills, and learns modern fire suppression techniques to maintain and develop skills; studies street and building locations. 
• Trains employees in procedures for checking flow and pressure of city fire hydrants. 
• Make assignments and participate in fire station maintenance such as sweeping, mopping, painting, washing windows and other tasks. 
• Conduct tours of the fire station and other public relations work with schools. 
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.  

QUALIFICATIONS 

Education and Experience: 

Associate’s degree in fire technology or related field; and five (5) years of experience with a Firefighter Level II certification; Obtained the rank of Fire Engineer, Assistant Fire Marshal or Senior Firefighter with three (3) years of experience with a municipal fire department; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.   

 Special Qualifications: 

• Possession of a valid Class B driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle.  Requirements exist at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment. 

 The following requirements must be IFSAC or Pro-Board certifications: 

• Firefighter Level II 
• Certification at Hazmat Operations Level 
• Emergency Vehicle Driver Certification 
• Driver Operator Pumps 
• Driver Operator Aerials 
• Fire Instructor I 
• Fire Officer I 

 Additional requirements: 

• NIMS 100, 200, 700, 800 
• NC Emergency Medical Technician EMT-Basic (or National Registry) 
• NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Certified Technician 
•  

 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:  

• Knowledge of the standard operating procedures of firefighting, firefighting hazards and related safety precautions, and emergency medical treatment techniques. 
• Knowledge of fire codes and general orders, bulletins, and training materials. 
• Knowledge of city geography and street locations, buildings, and hydrant locations. 
• Knowledge of effective communications techniques when interacting with the general public. 
• Knowledge of supervisory techniques to build respect and elicit full performance of staff 
• Skills in the use of firefighting tools and equipment such as a pry bar, axe, hoses, nozzles, air packs, fans, shovels, rakes, sledgehammers, jaws-of-life, defibrillator, and other equipment. 
• Ability to conduct fire prevention and fire safety training to all age groups. 
• Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions.  
• Ability to perform difficult physical procedures for prolonged periods wearing protective clothing and in adverse weather conditions.  
• Ability to climb ladders and work at considerable heights.  
• Ability to carry or drag or assist in carrying or dragging people and equipment up and down ladders and stairs or across flat surfaces.  
• Ability to chop holes or pry open doors, walls, ceilings, roofs, and other surfaces to effect ventilation. 
• Ability to screw in hoses connections and gate valves to fire hydrants.  
• Ability to apply hose clamps onto charged and uncharged hose lines.  
• Ability to hold charged hose lines and direct them at fire sources.  
• Ability to locate and to estimate distances between objects and people inside or near burning structures. 
• Ability to demonstrate self-confidence, self-reliance, and to act when required by the situation. 
• Ability to confront potentially dangerous situations, remain calm, apply common sense, make logical decisions, and work effectively in stressful situations. 
• Ability to train senior employees in the proper techniques to extinguish fires, rescue trapped people, dispose of hazardous materials, and operate firefighting equipment. 
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with members of the squad, company, station house, and the general public. 
• Ability to co-exist and work cooperatively with a group of individuals for twenty-four hours at a time without regard for such characteristics as gender, race, or cultural background. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

Work in this classification is defined as heavy work requiring the physical exertion of and/or in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 50 pounds of force frequently to move objects. Physical demands require climbing, crouching, crawling, standing, walking and lifting. Vocal communication is required for responding to inquiries, expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels. Visual acuity is required for extensive reading, to prepare and analyze written or computer data, determine the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observe general surroundings and activities. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

Work is primarily performed in both inside and outside environmental conditions including extreme heat and extreme cold. Employees are subject to noise, vibration, and hazards including a variety of physical conditions such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, electrical current, working in high places, exposure to high heat, and exposure to chemicals. Employees are subject to atmospheric conditions that affect the respiratory system of the skin including oils and greases and are also required to wear a respirator or self-contained breathing devices in certain instances. Employees frequently work in close quarters and areas which could cause claustrophobia. Employees may be exposed to blood or blood-borne pathogens when providing emergency medical services. At times the work is performed in conditions of extreme temperatures and danger for prolonged periods of time during which time one’s vision may be partially or totally obscured. Work is performed under emergency conditions and involves personal hazard. 

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