Remote Fire Department Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is organizationally aligned to the Facilities Service Line - Tomah VA Medical Center Fire Department, at the Tomah VA Medical Center located in Tomah WI. The position works under the general supervision of the Assistant Fire Chief. The primary purpose of this position is to function as a Supervisor over lower graded staff performing work to control and extinguish fires, rescue persons endangered by fire, and reduce or eliminate potential fire hazards.
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Duties
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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***
Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Overseeing, planning, directing, and coordinating the day-to-day work of the Engine Companies consisting of 4 personnel.
• Coordinating training needs with Firefighters. Establishing operating procedures and preparing guidance necessary to ensure the training program provides training in the full range of firefighting and prevention techniques.
• Independently scheduling, coordinating and conducting inspections, testing, maintenance, and minor repairs of Fire Department Equipment and Facility Fire Suppression and Detection Equipment.
• Conducting general work planning daily, particularly in the areas of training and fire inspections.
• Reviewing and revising schedule to meet unexpected changes and duty assignments. Ensuring all firefighting equipment is always operational. Preparing necessary reports as required.
• Responsible for review, assessment, and recommendations concerning Fire Department records of fire prevention inspections, air packs, extinguishers vehicle, hose, fire equipment, daily workloads, safety meeting and pre-fire planning.
• Reviewing and assessing training programs for firefighters and inspectors on performing inspection tasks for firefighting apparatus, sprinkler systems, hydrants, control valve systems, fire pumps, FM 200 systems, and other identified work details. Training subordinates and other Medical Center personnel in building evacuations, the use of extinguishers, use of alarms, assembly points for emergencies, and resolves training schedule conflicts with Supervisors and Managers.
• Responding to all emergency calls on Tomah VA Medical Center property as well as requests for Mutual Aid by surrounding communities if approved by management to extinguish fire, providing Basic Life Support and/or technical rescue to those in need.
• Upon arriving at the scene of an emergency, assumes the role of Incident Command until relived by a senior Fire Officer and begins fire suppression activities while concurrently leading the overall activities of firefighting crews.
• Assessing the magnitude of the emergency considering exposures and jeopardy to firefighting personnel and initiating action for additional fire companies if mutual aid is required and request the recall of Fire Department personnel as needed.
• Implementing the department incident command system, mutual aid plan, or emergency preparedness plans as needed. Authorizing and assigning Firefighters to request for a mutual aid response from local fire, EMS, or other emergency government authorities.
• Performing initial and on-going focused patient assessment and physical examination to determine priority of patient care based upon initial findings.
• Attempting to ascertain whether the patient has preexisting medical problems and obtaining a comprehensive drug history from the patient; Managing respiratory and cardiac emergencies to include performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillation (AED) and the use of the LUCAS device.
• Using and maintaining care of emergency equipment such as backboards, suction devices, AED, splints, oxygen delivery systems, and stretchers; properly deposes of biohazard materials; and replacing medical and expendable supplies.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full time, 72 hr shifts, 144 hrs/pay period. Please note that the salary range is based on a 80 hr pay period.
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. This position requires the application, assessment, and questionnaire to be fully completed. The assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY (SCREEN OUT): 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.
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SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-8) in the federal service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Supervisory Firefighter (Basic Life Support). 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. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position. Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week
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SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS (SCREEN-OUTS) - Selective Placement Factors (SPF) have 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. The SPFs for this position are listed below and requires ALL of the following (Copy of Professional Board and/or State Certifications must be provided with your application materials to receive credit):

• (IFSAC or Pro-Board Certified) Firefighter I & Firefighter II
• (IFSAC or Pro-Board Certified) Apparatus Operator - Pumper
• (IFSAC or Pro-Board Certified) Fire Inspector 1 & Fire Inspector II
• (IFSAC or Pro-Board Certified) Fire Instructor I
• (IFSAC or Pro-Board Certified) Fire Officer I
• (IFSAC or Pro-Board Certified) Hazardous Materials Operation or Technician Level
• Incident Command Systems - ICS-100 & 200
• National Incident Management Systems - ICS-700 & 800
• National Registry/State of Wisconsin Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B) or better

In addition to the above, newly employed VA Supervisory Firefighters must obtain Fire Instructor II, Fire Officer II and Hazardous Material Incident Commander Certifications within 24 months of employment.
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DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT (SCREEN OUT): A valid state-issued 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 valid state-issued driver's license.
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MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT (SCREEN OUT): 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 firefighter service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57. Prior service in covered positions and creditable towards retirement may be subtracted from the applicant's age to determine if the Federal firefighter meets the maximum entry age.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Conflict Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Manages Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating

Supervisory Situational Judgment Test. Applicants will be required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment and decision-making skills that align with relevant competencies, organizational values, and best practices. Assessment results may be used as part of the evaluation, ranking and referral process. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete. The assessment for this application does not include a cut score for a minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. However, you must answer each item in the assessment.
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: The Supervisory Firefighter/EMT (Captain) 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. Employee 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. Employee must wear this
equipment when responding to and during all emergency calls regardless of temperature. Employee 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.
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