Part-Time/On-Call Firefighter

At the City of Plymouth, we all work together to add quality to life. This mission and our guiding values – CIVIC: customer focus, integrity, visionary, inclusion and connection – shape our work as we advance the City Council’s strategic priority to be a city of choice. We are seeking candidates who are eager to adopt and champion our mission and values.

The Part-Time/On-Call Firefighter position is responsible for protecting life and property from the hazards of fire and other emergencies.

Apply fire suppression methods to control and stop property damage; save lives through rescue from fire or other hazardous environments; perform safety inspections; and provide public fire safety education; respond to emergency calls and provide efficient and immediate care to the ill and injured; respond to other types of call back emergencies and disasters that may occur in the community.

May be required to assist neighboring communities, as assigned. Responsible for routine fire station duties including cleaning, maintaining and repairing property and equipment.

Maintain effective relations with internal and external customers.

• Initiate and participate in community engagement activities to continue positive community relationships.
• Effectively adapt communication style to the audience, listen carefully, use respectful language and tone and appropriate interpersonal and rapport building strategies to diffuse situations.
• Participate in citywide training designed to strengthen interpersonal, communications and leadership skills.
• Provide exceptional customer service to Plymouth residents, business owners and visitors.
• Demonstrate a full understanding of - and respect for - the diversity of the community, co-workers, and supervisors, including individuals with disabilities or whose first language may not be English.

Respond to fire alarms and other emergency calls, extinguish or controls fires or other hazards

• Select, drag, lift and carry hose and nozzle depending on type and size of fire and apply a stream of water or chemicals onto fire.
• Position, raise and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings or to rescue individuals from burning structures and emergency situations.
• Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance using appropriate tools and equipment.
• Protect property from water and smoke by use of positive or negative pressure ventilation, waterproof salvage covers and property removal.
• Administer emergency medical care to injured persons and those overcome by fire and smoke.
• Respond to paged calls for service as required by department policy/regulations all hours other than their normal working hours or vacation.
• Works standby/duty crew as needed.

Maintain fire apparatus, equipment, stations and grounds

• Inspect, maintain and repair, as necessary, all firefighting and safety equipment.
• Conduct tests on equipment as required.
• Complete proper check lists, maintains appropriate maintenance records and reports damaged or improperly functioning equipment.

Attend regular and assigned training sessions to maintain and upgrade firefighting skills.

• Participate in drills, demonstrations and courses in hydraulics, pump operation and maintenance, emergency medical procedures, fire prevention, rescue techniques, and firefighting techniques.

Perform as driver/operator of fire apparatus.

• Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment in a safe and proper manner following department procedures and regulations.
• Maintain vehicle and equipment in safe operational condition according to department procedures.

Respond to emergency medical calls to provide efficient and immediate care to the ill and injured.

• Determine nature and extent of injury or illness and establishes priority for appropriate emergency care.
• Assist in the removal of persons from life threatening situations. Utilizes manual and powered rescue equipment to extricate persons trapped. Utilizes the prescribed techniques and appliances for removing the victims safely.

Conduct safety inspections and pre-fire planning of commercial buildings as part of a team under the supervision of superior officer.

• Knowledgeable of fire and building codes to recognize possible violations.
• Participate in pre-fire planning of target hazards within the jurisdiction by inspecting, developing and updating building layout records, hazard inventory and other planning tasks for possible future firefighting operations.
• Participates in public education demonstrations, expositions and presentations.

Provide a variety of public safety, community, municipal services and miscellaneous tasks to ensure the effective and prompt delivery of services. These services and tasks may include follow up on nuisance complaints, animal control, control of recovered property, and enforcement of various ordinances.

Other duties as assigned.

• Demonstrated ability to perform in accordance with the City of Plymouth’s CIVIC values (customer focus, integrity, visionary, inclusion and connection) and comfort with supporting and advancing the city council’s strategic priorities.
• High school graduate or equivalent.
• 18 years of age on appointment date.
• Successful completion of physical ability test, physical examination, background check, drug screen, pulmonary function test, and psychological evaluation
• Valid Minnesota driver’s license with a good driving record
• Ability to regularly respond to emergency and non-emergency service calls within a twelve (12) minute travel time to a Plymouth Fire station.

• Successful completion of Minnesota Firefighter I course from a technical or community college.
• Medical training, e.g., First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Personal Protective Equipment

• Must be able to use an SCBA, which includes a demand valve-type positive-pressure facepiece or HEPA filter mask, which requires the ability to tolerate increased respiratory workloads.
• While wearing protective ensembles and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), a firefighter must be able to perform a variety of tasks including but not limited to:
  • Extensive crawling, lifting, carrying heavy objects, rescue operations, hose line operations, climbing and dismounting ladders.
  • Emergency response actions under stressful conditions, including working in extremely hot or cold environments or in extreme weather for prolonged time periods. In emergency situations, work may involve considerable personal danger.
    
    

Vision, Hearing, Smell and Speech

• Must meet DOT standard, which includes

  • 20/40 vision with or without corrective lenses

  • Ability to distinguish red, green and amber

  • Ability to hear a forced whisper at a minimum distance of five feet

• Must be able to identify the presence of smoke or chemicals by smell in accordance with NFPA 1582.9.5 and/or OSHA standards.

• Must be able to communicate in emergent situations via portable two-way radio and/or person-to-person in a calm, descriptive and articulate manner
  
  

• Must be able to perform the following while wearing personal protective ensembles and SCBA.
  • Ground to Waist Level – 100 pounds
  • Waist to Shoulder Level – 50 pounds
  • Above Shoulders – 35 pounds
    
    

Walking and/or Mobility Requirements

• Must be able to perform the following while wearing personal protective ensembles and SCBA.

  • Must be able to walk (forward, backwards, and laterally) and crawl while carrying or lifting.

  • Must be able to ascend and descend stairs and ladders while carrying heavy loads.

  • Must be able to balance and possess the ability to steady oneself and keep from falling when walking, standing, crouching, crawling on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces.

  • Must be able to work in confined spaces.

  • Must be capable of:

    • Reaching (extending hands or arms in any direction)

    • Handling (seizing, holding grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hands while carrying items of substantial weight (i.e., fans, rescue equipment, foam containers, ladders, and using axes, sledgehammers, hydrant wrenches, pulling ladder halyards or using rope to lift heavy items, dragging victims and hose lines)

    • Fingering (picking, pinching, or otherwise working with the fingers while manipulating items such as SCBA valves, apparatus controls, small monitoring equipment, alarm panel controls. Must be able to use rope and tie knots.)

    • Feeling (must be able to discriminate differences in items by feeling. Must be able to determine the difference between hot and cold by touch. Must be able to feel a patient’s pulse.)

    • Must be capable of applying a leg lock with the left and right leg upon a ground ladder to provide a safe anchor when doing fire operations.
      
      

Work Environment

• In emergency situations, work may involve considerable personal danger.

• Work both Indoors and outdoors.

• Work in extreme cold and/or extreme variations in temperature, where the temperature is sufficiently low to cause marked bodily discomfort

• Work in extreme heat and/or extreme variations in temperature, where the temperature is sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.

• Encounter wet conditions and high humidity where atmospheric conditions have a moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.

• Encounter noise and/or vibration exceeding 80 decibels, constant or intermittent, to cause marked distraction.

• Encounter a variety of physical hazards, including but not limited to, moving mechanical parts, electrical shock, working on high places, bodies of water, exposure to radiant energy, explosives, toxic chemicals, and biological agents.