Supervisory Firefighter (Basic Life Support) - Deputy Fire Chief

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Facilities Management Service at VA Black Hills Health Care System - Hot Springs VA Medical Center in Hot Springs, SD.

The Supervisor Firefighter (Basic Life Support)'s primary duty is to serve as a Deputy Fire Chief and provide fire prevention, protection, suppression, and safety for all medical center patients, employees, visitors, structures, and facilities.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENT: The following are minimum requirements for appointment as a Supervisory Firefighter (Basic Life Support) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must met.

Specialized Experience (GS-11): You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that demonstrated the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

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.

(CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) AND To be eligible for employment as a VA Firefighter, applicants must have obtained the following certifications as required by VHA Directive 7718 dated June 19, 2020 prior to the closing of the announcement.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (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 requirement for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

(NOTE: COPIES OF YOUR CURRENT CERTIFICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE CLOSING DATE TO RECEIVE CREDIT.) The Selective Placement Factors for this position are: Certification as Firefighter II in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 ~AND~ Certification as Hazardous Materials Operations Level Responders in accordance with Chapter 5, Core Competencies of, in NFPA 472 ~AND~ Certification as Driver/Operator pumper in accordance with NFPA 1002 ~AND~ Certification as Fire Officer II in accordance with NFPA 1021 ~AND~ Certification as Fire Inspector II in accordance with NFPA 1031 ~AND~ Emergency Medical Technician certification in the state in which the VA fire department is located (i.e., South Dakota) or the National Registry certification ~AND~ Certification as Hazardous Materials Incident Commander in accordance with NFPA 472 ~AND~ Certification as Fire and Emergency Services Instructor II in accordance with NFPA 1041 AND DRIVER'S LICENSE: You must possess and maintain a current valid Driver's License from a State.

(NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package.

If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued driver's license.) AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C.

7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

AND 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 firefighter service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57.

Prior service in covered positions and creditable towards retirement may be subtracted from the applicant's age to determine if the Federal firefighter meets the maximum entry age.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Fire Management Industrial Equipment Operation Managing Human Resources Patient Care IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; religious; 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.

Physical Requirements: Prior to employment and annually thereafter, all firefighters (GS-0081) must be certified by a qualified physician as meeting (a) and (b) and (c) and (d):(a) Medical and physical requirements for performing their assigned duties;(b) Requirements of NFPA 1582;(c) Requirements of NFPA 1583; and,(d) Requirements of NFPA 1500, Chapter 10.

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/.

Major Duties:

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** The Supervisor Firefighter (Basic Life Support) - Deputy Fire Chief provides leadership and operational oversight for fire protection, emergency medical services (Basic Life Support), hazardous materials response, confined space rescue, vehicle and elevator extrication, and other emergency services at the VA Black Hills Health Care System (VHABHHCS).

Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Coordinating all emergency responses across both sites, maintaining command during incidents, and deploying specialized equipment like the Rescue Truck and Haz-Mat Trailer.

Maintaining readiness for all responses and assuming full command in the absence of the Fire Chief.

Overseeing daily fire safety operations and conducting quarterly ward, station, and interim drills to ensure preparedness.

Scheduling and delivering fire/safety training for staff, tenants, and patients, including Hospital Decontamination Team instruction, while reviewing internal controls.

Assisting in developing, implementing, and enforcing departmental policies, SOPs, and organizational initiatives to improve fire and EMS operations.

Ensuring compliance with VHA Directive 7718, NFPA, TJC, OSHA, and VA standards, reporting unresolved issues to the Fire Chief.

Supporting EMS program coordination, supervising operations, and implementing protocols and procedures.

Ensuring medical supplies and equipment are fully stocked, serviceable, and promptly replaced when damaged or depleted.

Supervising GS-09 Supervisory Firefighters and their teams, evaluating performance, approving step increases, and recommending awards or disciplinary actions.

Providing leadership, mentorship, and counseling to staff, addressing conduct issues, and communicating feedback to the Fire Chief.

Developing and managing monthly schedules, ensuring equitable duty assignments, mandatory coverage, and adapting staffing for emergencies.

Approving leave, overtime, and shift trades while tracking timekeeping and annual leave usage.

Ensuring firefighting and EMS equipment remains operational through maintenance, replacement, and supply management.

Coordinating procurement and replacement of damaged or depleted equipment and supplies to maintain readiness.

Preparing and maintaining reports on fire protection, prevention, suppression activities, inspections, and regulatory compliance.

Documenting incidents including dollar-loss events, mutual aid, hazardous materials, patient searches, and code violations.

Coordinating emergency response, patient safety, and procedural matters with internal departments and external agencies.

Maintaining professional relationships with unions, neighboring fire departments, and VA officials, representing the department when the Fire Chief is unavailable Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 07:00 a.m.

to 04:00 p.m. with one 24-hour shift Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved