This position is assigned to the Facility Management/Fire Department provision of fire protection and suppression services at the 88-acre VA Medical Center complex in Butler, PA. The firefighters will also routinely respond to calls for mutual aid in the surrounding area.

Certifications Required:

Firefighter II , BLS, CPR (all grades)
Hazardous Materials, Operations Level (grades 5/6/7)
Fire Apparatus Driver Operator-Pumper (grades 6/7)
Hazardous Materials Technician (grades 7)

Work Schedule: Rotating 24 hour shifts, any day of the week, including holidays
Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (BLS/Hazmat)/PD01165A

Major Duties Include but not limited to:

Firefighting:

Establishes water supply connections to hydrants, sprinkler systems, standpipes, and fire apparatus.
Operates fire attack lines and applies fire streams for fire control and extinguishment.
Places and climbs ground ladders with equipment for fire control, ventilation, rescue, or other fireground work.
Makes forcible entry into locked and concealed areas, i.e. prying open doors, removing windows, etc.
Ventilates structures by opening doors, windows, floors, and walls using specialized tools and equipment.
Enters hazardous environments for rescue and fire extinguishing purposes.
Conducts salvage and overhaul work to protect undamaged property and preserve the scene for fire investigation.
Uses protective firefighting equipment that includes self-contained breathing apparatus.
Uses communication equipment (i.e. portable radios).
Provides Basic Life Support CPR at medical emergencies that involve patients, employees, or members of the public on medical center grounds.
Safely drives and operates emergency vehicles to include fire engines of 1000 gallons per minute or greater pump capacity and ambulances.
Operates fire pumps and determines pump pressures for hose lines and sprinkler standpipe systems.
Operates fire alarm panels.

Emergency Medical Services:

Independently assists the injured by applying knowledge and training for such purposes to use direct pressure and tourniquets to stop bleeding, check the airway for obstructions, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or immobilize for safe transport.
Drives an ambulance under non-emergency and emergency conditions.
Assists basic/intermediate life support or paramedic staff.
Performs initial and on-going focused patient assessment and physical examination.
Determines priority of patient care based on assessment findings.
Takes, records, and monitors patient's baseline vital signs.
Manages respiratory and cardiac emergencies to include performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bag-valve-mask ventilations, and using an automatic external defibrillation (AED).
Controls external bleeding with direct pressure and treats shock by approved methods.
Splints and immobilizes fractures and dislocation for transport.
Attempts to ascertain whether the patient has preexisting medical problems and to obtain a comprehensive drug history from the patient that includes the names, strength, and dosage of drugs taken by the patient.
Assists patients in taking emergency medications for certain complaints, e.g., Nitroglycerin tablets for chest pain, Epinephrine auto-injections for allergic reactions, or Albuterol inhalers for asthma patients, under the direction of standing orders or of a Physician.
Establishes communication with the receiving facility, providing all patient information including estimated time of arrival.
Employs a variety of established emergency medical techniques, methods, and equipment to stabilize the patient for transport as soon as possible to the receiving facility.

Hazardous Materials:

Hazardous Material Technicians respond to the presence or potential release of hazardous materials for the purpose of stopping or controlling the release using specialized protective equipment.
Response to the incident is more aggressive in that the technician will approach the point of release to cool, plug, patch, dilute, neutralize, or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance. The technician will utilize dams, dikes, or channel diversions to control the release of a hazardous substances.
Employs hazard and risk assessment techniques to complete incident analysis.
Assists in the development of strategy for the Incident Action Plan to mitigate the hazardous release.
Develops an appropriate strategy for approaching the release site and containing the release.
Implements the response by performing advanced mitigation, control, and confinement operations within the capabilities of the available resources and personal protective equipment available to control leaks or releases using a variety of methods to include offensive and defensive measures.
Continuously evaluates the effectiveness of the situational response and recommends potential alternative or supplementary actions.
Maintains and decontaminates hazardous material response equipment and supplies.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Nor Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not AuthorizedTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/24/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06.The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

This position includes Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are:

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

To qualify at the GS-4 you must meet one of the following requirements:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-3) in the federal service that has given me the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter. 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. OR,
Education: Successfully completed a 2-year course of study in an accredited college or university in Fire Training, Fire Science, or other related fields of study. NOTE: Transcript(s) Required have. OR,
Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above to meet the total requirements for this position. The education portion must include courses in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study in an accredited college or university.

To qualify for this position at the GS-5 level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Operations. 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.-OR-
Education: Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree in an accredited college or university with major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study is qualifying for GS-5. NOTE: Transcript(s) Required-OR-
Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the first 2 years or associate's degree) and specialized experience, as described above, may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the GS-5. The education portion must include courses in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study in an accredited college or university.

To qualify for this position at the GS-6 level:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Operations. 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. These assignments would have been performed of a more limited scope and with less independence than the full performance level, and be performed under supervision, consulting with the supervisor when problems are encountered; however, the degree of supervisory controls would be less than at the GS-5 grade level.

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician. 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. At this level, assignments would have been performed independently, with little or no supervision, only consulting with the supervisor when unusual problems are encountered.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Emergency Care
Fire Management
Flexibility
Hazardous Materials
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reading Comprehension
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork

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; religions; 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.
Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

Required at grades 4,5,6,7

Firefighter II Certification from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).
AHA Basic Life Support Provider - CPR
Must possess and maintain current Basic Life Support Provider (BLS) Certification
Must possess and maintain current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification

Required at grades 5,6,7

Hazardous Materials Operations Certification from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).
State or national registry Emergency Medical Technician certification (required at grades 5,6,7)

Required at grades 6,7

Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator-Pumper Certification from the from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).

Required at grade 7

Hazardous Materials Technician Certification from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).

Copies of certifications must be submitted at the time of application.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

VA Butler Healthcare

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