Firefighter Recruit

Posting number: 03644

Department: Fire Department-Fire Fighting

Job classification: Firefighter Recruit

Posting type: Open

Categories: Public Safety, Fire & EMS

ATTENTION:

This job posting is for candidates with no prior Fire/EMS experience.

Are you ready to save lives and be met with new challenges every day? 

Forsyth County Fire wants you! Get ready for an exciting career where you only work 10 days every month!

In this job, you will:

• Work as part of a highly motivated team that upholds the mission and values of the Forsyth County Fire Department to provide safe and efficient emergency response to the citizens and visitors of Forsyth County.

• Respond with your fire company to incidents including fires, medical emergencies, and vehicle accidents.

• Have the additional opportunity to answer the call in the areas of Special Operations: Hazardous Materials Response and Mitigation, Technical Rescue, Dive Rescue, and Swift Water Rescue.

• Maintain a high level of physical and mental preparedness through education, training, and physical fitness. Always be operationally ready by ensuring that equipment/apparatus is in proper working order.

Why Forsyth County Fire Department?

The Forsyth County Fire Department strives to serve its firefighters as they protect our community through Teamwork, Integrity, Excellence, and Service. The FCFD prepares employees for success with highly competitive salaries, top of the line equipment and apparatus, excellent benefits, advancement, educational opportunities, and specialty teams. 

The Forsyth County Fire Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The following duties are normal for this position.  The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification.  Other duties may be required and assigned.

Trains to achieve a comprehensive, current knowledge and awareness of applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures; maintains an awareness of new equipment, procedures, trends and advances in the profession; participates in physical fitness training, training drills and other continuing education activities; attends shift meetings, workshops and seminars as appropriate.

Performs general maintenance tasks necessary to keep vehicles, buildings, quarters, apparatus, equipment and tools in operable condition, which may include inspecting/testing equipment, replacing fluids, greasing equipment, replacing parts, washing/cleaning equipment, cleaning quarters, or grounds maintenance; monitors equipment operations to maintain efficiency and safety; reports faulty equipment for necessary maintenance work.

Checks and maintains stock of equipment and supplies on fire vehicles and in fire station; re-loads equipment and apparatus following response to emergency calls; assists in preparing apparatus for subsequent emergencies and in testing personal equipment, hoses/pumps, and other tools and apparatus; and ensures the emergency medical service equipment is properly stocked and operational.

Enforces all county fire codes, ordinances and fire laws and regulations of the state in order to protect life and property; complies with all rules, orders, and instructions issued by superior officer.

Prepares, decontaminates, inspects, inventories, repairs, and/or maintains fire equipment, apparatus, hoses, tools, materials, turnout gear, first aid equipment, and vehicles for safe operation; tests equipment on a regular basis; practices proper disposal of bio-hazard waste; fills air cylinders; performs post-fire clean-up.

Completes and prepares a variety of forms, logs, requests, records, reports, correspondence, and various other documents associated with daily responsibilities of this position; maintains administrative records and files.

Cooperates with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and its officers or representatives when activities are related to investigations within county jurisdiction.

Additional Functions

This classification is designated as a safety sensitive position which is subject to random drug and alcohol testing and any other drug testing methods as stated in policies adopted by Forsyth County concerning drug and alcohol.

Obtains and maintains Georgia Firefighters Standards and Training Council certification/re-certification requirements.

Maintains personal fitness and appearance to comply with uniform requirements and department guidelines and regulations.

Performs miscellaneous duties including raising and lowering the flag, conducting fire station tours, securing station facilities, ordering/restocking supplies, preparing meals, general housekeeping and station cleaning, painting, polishing station metal, and basic grounds maintenance.

Answers the telephone; provides information, advice and guidance; takes and relays messages and/or direct calls to appropriate personnel; returns calls as necessary.

Substitutes for co-workers in temporary absence of same; provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed.

Required to work rotating shifts including weekends and holidays as deemed necessary.

Performs other related duties as required.

Annual Salary:

The following salaries reflect the employee selecting overtime instead of comp time for additional hours worked. Additionally, these salaries reflect all naturally occurring overtime and holiday pay. Variations may occur depending on shift assignment and holiday occurrence.

Recruit Firefighter - Non-exempt : $50,771.00

After graduation and assignment to field operations with a 24 hour on-shift and 72 hour off-shift; 48 hour on-shift and 72 hour off-shift rotation     (1-3-2-3/Portland Shift Schedule), firefighters will be afforded one of the two annual salaries detailed below:

Firefighter/AEMT - Non-exempt (plus optional available overtime): $68,355.76

$58,216.47 (Base salary) + $7,604.47 (Naturally occurring overtime) ) + $2,534.82 (Holiday Pay) Additional overtime pay is available for those who choose to work additional hours as needed per staffing levels. If county recognized holiday is worked, employee will be paid 1.5 times hourly rate for actual hours worked. This is an estimate, dependent upon the employee's actual schedule

-Must possess and maintain GA State EMT-I and/or National Registry EMT A license. Must maintain a valid GA Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications. May be required to obtain and maintain additional certifications such as Hazardous Materials or other certifications as specified to assigned unit.

Firefighter/Paramedic - Non-exempt (plus optional available overtime): $70,532.80

$60,070.58 (Base salary) + $7,846.67 (Naturally occurring overtime) ) + $2,615.55 (Holiday Pay) Additional overtime pay is available for those who choose to work additional hours as needed per staffing levels. If county recognized holiday is worked, employee will be paid 1.5 times hourly rate for actual hours worked. This is an estimate, dependent upon the employee's actual schedule

-Must possess and maintain GA and/or National Registry Paramedic license. Must maintain a valid GA Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications. May be required to obtain and maintain additional certifications such as Hazardous Materials, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, or other certifications as required by unit assignment.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be at a minimum of 18 years old.

Must possess a high school diploma or G.E.D.

Legally authorized to work in the United States without a sponsor.

Must possess a valid driver’s license or Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) (If applicant does not possess a valid Georgia License, he/she must be able to obtain within thirty (30) days of employment).

Must be able to provide a certified copy of a birth certificate or present a valid U.S. Passport for inspection and copying.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Forsyth County Fire Department strives to only hire the most qualified candidates who hold themselves to high moral and ethical standards. As such, candidates must pass a rigorous selection process which includes a background investigation. Candidate responses must be truthful and will be compared to responses provided in the deception detection phase if the candidate advances. It is expected that candidates have made mistakes during their life but lack of integrity during the selection process will result in immediate removal from consideration. Likewise, conflicting responses between any phases of the pre-employment selection process may result in immediate removal from consideration. Read all questions carefully, answer them honestly, and provide detailed responses when requested. All responses will be evaluated to determine if they meet established minimum standards for employment consideration.

1. Veteran of the United States Armed Forces that received an Honorable Discharge (DD214) or current member of the National Guard, Air National Guard, or Armed Forces Reserve.+10 points
2. College graduates from a regionally or nationally accredited university with a degree in a job-related field which may include but is not limited to Fire Science, Emergency Services Management, Management, Public Administration, Fire Services Technology, Fire Service Administration, Fire Protection Technology.
   1. Associate degree OR National Registry or Georgia license paramedic+2 points
   2. Bachelor’s degree+4 points
   3. Master’s degree+6 points
      

Final approval for point totals will be at the discretion of the Forsyth County Fire Department. 

Application Steps (this order may change to meet departmental needs):

1. Complete online application
   1. Chosen candidates will need to submit digital copies of the following documents:
      1. Birth certificate or U.S. passport
      2. Driver’s license
      3. Social Security Card
      4. High school diploma or G.E.D.
      5. If applicable, EMT-I, EMT-A, or Paramedic license
      6. If applicable, DD214
      7. If applicable, college diploma and/or transcripts
   2. NOTE: Any application submitted without education and work history as well as professional references (at least three) will not be considered. Once an application is submitted, it cannot be edited.
2. Accuplacer cognitive exam
3. Personal history questionnaire (PHQ) 
4. Physical Agility Test (PAT)
5. Conditional Job Offer
6. Background investigation
7. Deception Detection
8. Psychological evaluation
9. Interview
10. Medical physical and Pre-employment drug screen
11. Final Job Offer