Firefighter I

The City of Alexandria is in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington, and Fairfax counties. With a population estimated at 159,200 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. Approximately one-quarter of the City's square miles have been designated as a national or local historic district. We proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead. If you're interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Firefighter I position.

*The Alexandria Fire Department will be conducting a Virtual Mandator y Orientation session for this position. Please continue reading this announcement for further details.

The OverviewA Firefighter I performs entry-level firefighting duties including the safe and efficient operation of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) apparatus and equipment, provides medical care to the level of a basic emergency medical care technician, performs fire-suppression activities, conducts pre-emergency analysis, maintains equipment and grounds, performs public education in fire prevention, and participates in the physical-fitness program. The work is performed on a shift basis and is done in accordance with instructions and a well-defined routine. Considerable time is spent in the special and routine maintenance of equipment, apparatus, and facilities. Work is normally performed under close supervision and is inspected by a Fire Lieutenant or Fire Captain.

The Opportunity

• Responds to and participates in firefighting, medical emergencies, auto extrications, hazardous materials incidents, and technical rescue incidents.
• Safely drives and operates fire engines, ladder trucks, heavy rescue squads, medic units, and other specialized apparatus.
• Supplies water from hydrants and static water sources and maintains proper pressure to supply lines, attack lines, master streams, foam devices, and fire protection systems, and operates aerial ladder devices.
• Trains and drills on SCBA use; forcible entry, ventilation, deployment of ground ladders, utility control, elevator rescue, search and rescue, railroad and metro emergencies, natural disasters, terrorism and WMD responses, communicating with portable radios, and handling detection and suppression systems.
• Maintains a ready physical condition per department guidelines to be able to respond to the incidents listed above, to include strength, aerobic, and flexibility conditioning.
• Performs and evaluates necessary maintenance and cleaning of department vehicles, equipment, and tools to assure a constant state of readiness.
• Maintains and inventories necessary supplies.
• Learns and maintains skills related to computers and computer technologies; maintains required certifications at City, State, and Federal levels.
• Attends City required courses/classes.
• Maintains area familiarization of target hazards to include high-risk locations such as nursing homes, assisted living, special needs facilities, schools, hospitals, federal buildings, industrial facilities (ex. ethanol plant), water plants, and historical buildings.
• Maintains area building familiarization to include building construction, water supply, utilities (gas, electric, water), access, security, suppression, and detection systems.
• Maintains public relations through station tours, neighborhood and City events, school visitations, smoke alarm installations, and public education activities.
• Provides public fire education training to students in Alexandria schools, both public and private, and to the residents of Alexandria.
• Performs facilities and grounds maintenance and readiness including but not limited to safety checks, sanitation of premises, housekeeping, snow removal, and lawn maintenance.
• Performs related work as required.

About the Department
"Dedicated to our Community, Our Profession and Each Other"The Alexandria Fire Department provides fire, emergency medical services, and special operations such as technical rescue, hazardous materials, and marine response with additional capabilities including fire prevention, inspections, protection, and investigation to a 15-square mile city. The Alexandria Fire Department employs more than 300 personnel, which include firefighters, paramedics, fire prevention staff, and administrative support. A network of ten stations protects 15 square miles. Among the department's specialized teams are the Northern Virginia Regional Hazardous Materials Team, Technical Rescue, Marine Operations, and the Special Operations Team. The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is also a city-wide function within the Alexandria Fire Department.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

Minimum & Additional Requirements
Applicants must have a High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED); must be 18 years of age at the time of application; must have a valid driver's license at the time of application.

Additional Requirements
Some knowledge of the street system and physical layout of Alexandria, or the ability to acquire this knowledge rapidly; ability to acquire knowledge of building, housing, fire, and related codes and code enforcement procedures; ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions; ability to learn a variety of firefighting duties and methods, including the operation of firefighting apparatus, within a reasonable working period; aptitude for mechanical work; conscientiousness and dependability; physical strength, agility and freedom from serious physical defects as indicated by a physical examination, and the ability to perform prolonged manual work; and the ability to perform the tasks of the class under adverse conditions.

Additional Requirements upon Successful Completion of Recruit Academy:
Must achieve the status of minimum staffing and be non-probationary before deemed fully qualified and must gain the following certifications in recruit training: Firefighter I & II; EVOC IV, Hazardous Materials Awareness & Operations; NREMT-B; AHA Healthcare Provider CPR, Driver Pump Operator, Driver Aerial Operator and Introduction to Technical Rescue Module I.

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications
Candidates who are certified as a National Registry Paramedic (NRP) will be hired as a Firefighter I at the annual salary of $53,535.56. The NRP candidate will be entitled to a lump sum bonus of $5,000.00 upon verification of Virginia certification eligibility/reciprocity. NRP candidates will begin receiving a $10,000.00 a year incentive once they begin session 2 of the ALS Internship program.

Notes

Examination Information:
Qualified applicants will be provided additional information regarding scheduling for the written examination. To be eligible for this examination, each applicant must submit a completed application online, successfully pass CPAT and maintain the email account designated in the application. Notices will only be delivered via the email address you used to apply for the position. Please update your profile if there are changes to your personal information. The application must be completed and submitted online via the City of Alexandria website.

Condition of Employment:
All persons selected for the Firefighter I position must agree to sign a Condition of Employment:

Maintain Virginia Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, Emergency Medical Technician - Intermediate or Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic certification that meets or exceeds the minimum standard adopted by the Department.

Maintain a driver-operator license for the class of vehicles specified by the Fire Chief. Maintain at least an overall satisfactory rating on annual Performance Evaluations.

Participate in and successfully complete a mandatory Physical Fitness Program designed by the Fire Department.

Successfully complete Recruit School, the probationary period (1 year), and the Recruit Study Guide under guidelines established by the Fire Chief.

You are required to meet and maintain NFPA 1582 medical standards.

This position requires the successful completion of each of the following pre-employment hiring steps:

• Submission of online application through the applicant tracking system
• Virtual Mandatory Orientation Session
• Complete and Pass Candidate Physical Abilities Test (CPAT)
• Complete and Pass Written Examination
• Complete and Pass Background Investigation
• Complete and Pass Credit Check
• Complete and Pass Criminal Background
• Polygraph Evaluation
• Psychological Evaluation
• Medical Examination
• Fire Chief Interview

All applicants will receive an email with a link to attend the mandatory virtual orientation session when the posting closes. This virtual orientation will provide you with all aspects of the Hiring Process, including how to obtain your CPAT Certification.

If you have any questions or concerns, please submit an email to: Fire.Recruitment@alexandriava.gov