MightyRecruiterWhen you’re selecting a face to represent your department, you want to be sure that it’s one you can trust and rely on under any circumstance. Many people will see firefighters at work or on breaks sporting your city or county logo, so it is important for you to make sure you hire the best applicants who will uphold your values and avoid any trouble that may reflect poorly on your entire department. Since other people’s lives may be at stake, you also want to be sure you select applicants whose bravery will push them to do anything in their power to protect those in the community where you serve. By creating a clear, detailed job description, you’ll avoid any confusion about what is expected and increase the chances of hiring honest employees who will not only devote their energy to protecting lives, but maintain their integrity and protect your confidence as representatives of your division. Here is a thorough Firefighter job description sample to help you ensure your applicants understand their responsibilities as potential employees.
Firefighter Job Summary
As a firefighter, you’ll have the daily task of being ready to spring into action at any second to save lives and assist in dangerous situations. Your team will become your family as you spend long hours together and come to trust and rely on each other while completing your duties. Not only will you be responsible for keeping the public safe, you’ll also be viewed as a representative figure for your department when you’re on the clock as well as when you’re off.
Firefighter Job Responsibilities and Duties:
- Extinguish and minimize fires by using equipment, tools and help from teammates.
- Prevent fires from occurring by inspecting areas for hazardous conditions.
- Operate rescue vehicles and equipment.
- Ensure that help will be available when necessary by checking fire hydrants and requesting repairs.
- Complete reports following any incidents.
- Train citizens and conduct education programs to prevent and minimize possible fire damage.
- Frequently check alarms and equipment to ensure proper function and availablity during emergency procedures.
- Follow all procedures precisely to ensure safety for citizens and fellow employees.
- Increase skills and knowledge by seeking continued education and participating in drills.
- Contribute to building efficiency by managing grounds and completing scheduled maintenance.
- Work toward unity as a team.
- Uphold community values on and off the clock as a representative of the local government.
Firefighter Skills and Qualifications
- High school diploma and completion of fire training school
- U.S. citizenship
- Ability to pass a background check and drug screening
- Extremely good physical health and passing score on a rigorous fitness test
- Good decision-making skills in uncertain situations
- Emotional control under pressure
- Focus on integrity, dependability and honesty
- Understanding of safety guidelines and regulations
- Ability to stay awake and alert for long periods of time
Department Profile
The Clark County Fire Department is located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our department strives to improve community awareness by formulating strategic emergency plans and holding fire prevention events. Our firefighters are among the most dedicated and hard-working in the state, facing a range of emergencies as the rescue team for one of the most unique areas in the country. The variety of situations means our employees need to be ready for anything and every day is different.
Writing a Job Description Best Practices
- While this sample can provide a great outline to follow when preparing a Firefighter job description, there are also some basic best practices that you should follow when creating your own posting. Applying these dos and don’ts can eliminate unqualified applicants and allow you to select from the best jobseekers for the position.
- Do be positive about your company, but don’t cross the line into boastful language, which may turn off some applicants.
- Do describe goals for the department to ensure that you’re on the same page as the applicant
- Don’t make job descriptions too long. Be concise, but not too short.
- Do be specific. This is not the time to beat around the bush or be vague.
- Do be sure to use keywords to make your posting easily searchable.
- Do include a call to action so that applicants know what steps to take when applying.
Taking the time to create an accurate, detailed job description now will result in a higher-quality pool of applicants to choose from, making it an investment that will yield a solid return in the form of a dependable employee for years to come.
Firefighter Job Responsibilities
As an employer, you look for resumes that applicants have formatted professionally to demonstrate the skills and experience necessary for the open position. Just as important is a good firefighter job description that will attract these jobseekers. When writing your job posting, consider the essential duties of the position and the role you expect the employee to assume on a daily basis. It is imperative that you include this information clearly in the responsibilities section.
Use strong verbs so the applicants can clearly see themselves working at your company. List each task in bullet-point form so it is easy to read. Your firefighter job description should include 6-8 different chores.
The following are some examples of common firefighter job responsibilities:
- Respond to emergency fire alarms and assist in the suppression of vehicle, residential, industrial, aircraft, chemical, commercial and wild fires
- Respond to medical calls, perform physical assessments on injured or ill persons and provide non-emergency and emergency medical care
- Conduct inspections related to home safety, pre-fire planning, fire extinguisher training and fire preparedness
- Plan and oversee community programs such as child seat installation, fire prevention classes and child safety events
- Check and maintain fire hydrants and document appropriate records
Firefighter Job Specifications
Outlining the criteria that applicants should possess is important to keep your work to a minimum, as it takes quite a bit of time to sift through unlimited resumes. The qualifications and skills section of your firefighter job description includes crucial information that can encourage jobseekers who are qualified to apply. General topics you should address include work experience, education, hard and soft skills, certifications and personality characteristics.
If you are not familiar with the specifics of the role, it is a good idea to discuss it with others who have the same title. Discuss the minimum required qualifications as well as the preferred skills. Include both in your firefighter job description in order to further cut down the number of applications. Use bullet points and short phrases to keep this section brief and easy to read, and list between six and eight qualities. Following these tips will help attract the best candidates for the job.
Some typical firefighter job specifications include:
- High school diploma required; associate’s degree preferred
- Excellent leadership skills with strong verbal and written communication skills
- Minimum five years’ experience as a firefighter, either in a volunteer or paid position
- Ability to work as a team and make quick decisions in emergency settings
- EMT certification required; paramedic certification preferred
- Spanish fluency is preferred
