What are the responsibilities and job description for the Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician) position at Coatesville VA Medical Center?
This position is located within the Fire Department under Facilities Engineering Service at the Coatesville VA Medical Center, Coatesville, PA. The Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Material Technician participates in all aspects of structural firefighting and rescue operations.
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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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.
Selective Placement Factors: Selective Placement Factors are skills, 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. You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit.
Specialized Experience: MUST possess one (1) full year of specialized experience equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6) in Federal Service. 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. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.
MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a maximum entry age for an initial appointment; applicants cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit, but who have previously served as a federal employee in a covered position, may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: (1) meet all applicable qualifications for the position and (2) will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal fire service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57.
DRIVER'S LICENSE: All applicants must possess a current, unrestricted valid state Driver's License.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Work Schedule: 56 hour work week that includes 48 hour shifts with up to 96 hours off, with other 24 hour shifts assigned; including weekends and holidays
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician)/PD003090
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/03/2026.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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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.
Selective Placement Factors: Selective Placement Factors are skills, 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. You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit.
- International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or ProBoard Firefighter II
- National or Pennsylvania State Certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic
- National or Pennsylvania State Hazardous Materials Technician certification
- National or Pennsylvania State Driver/Operator Pumper Certification
- National Certification as a Fire Inspector I
- National Certification as a Fire Inspector II or willing to obtain certification within 2 years of employment
Specialized Experience: MUST possess one (1) full year of specialized experience equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the Firefighter - Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6) in Federal Service. 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. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.
MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a maximum entry age for an initial appointment; applicants cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit, but who have previously served as a federal employee in a covered position, may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: (1) meet all applicable qualifications for the position and (2) will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal fire service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57.
DRIVER'S LICENSE: All applicants must possess a current, unrestricted valid state Driver's License.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Responsibilities:
Your duties can include but are not limited to the following:- Controls and extinguishes fires, operates hose lines, makes forced entries, ventilates structures, performing or assisting in rescue operations
- Performs basic life support duties
- Serves as the driver/operator of pumpers, ambulances and special service vehicles
- Operates pumps, foam systems, monitor nozzles and other similar equipment
- Performs daily preventative maintenance inspections of apparatus and equipment
- Serves as member of a hazardous materials spill response
- Participates in all fire department training, medical center fire drills, building fire safety inspections, fire alarm, sprinkler system, and water supply system inspection and testing
Work Schedule: 56 hour work week that includes 48 hour shifts with up to 96 hours off, with other 24 hour shifts assigned; including weekends and holidays
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician)/PD003090
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $55,602