Firefighter (Paramedic)

The City of Livonia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

SALARY INFORMATION

$61,817.60 - $85,176.00 Annually

NOTE:  Entrance salary is based upon prior experience as a Firefighter and/or Paramedic.

NOTE:  Annual salary adjustments may also occur based on collective bargaining agreements.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

An employee in this classification responds to emergencies and performs pre-hospital care, fire suppression activities, rescue, damage control, and property preservation.

Illustrative Examples of Work:

• Physically lift and move patients, equipment, hose lines or other barriers to care during fire or emergency medical operations
• Respond to fire with a fire company, enter burning buildings with hose-lines, operate nozzles, and extinguish the fire as directed
• Respond to emergency medical calls and provide direct patient care in compliance with the department’s SOP’s, protocols and directives
• Operate hand fire extinguishers, fog nozzles, and similar equipment in extinguishing fires; raise, lower, and climb ladders; and ventilate burning buildings to carry off smoke and gases
• Rescue persons from danger, administer basic and advanced life support, and transport patients as necessary
• Perform salvage operations such as throwing covers, evacuating water, removing debris, and performing general cleanup at the fire scene
• Perform routine housekeeping duties at a fire station, such as mowing grass, making beds, cleaning walls, washing windows, and sweeping floors
• Perform limited repair and maintenance work on fire equipment and apparatus
• Attend in-service training sessions to learn firefighting strategies and tactics, equipment operation, medical aid, and street and hydrant locations
• Inspect and maintain apparatus and equipment to ensure proper working condition and make minor repairs as necessary
• Prepare required reports relating to maintenance, inspection, movements, and usage of fire apparatus including equipment and hose records
• Respond to fire and rescue calls and perform suppression, rescue, ventilation and rehabilitation in compliance with the department’s SOPs and directives
• Assess and coordinate the resources and personnel to facilitate safety and quality care for all patients
• Promote departmental policies, procedures, objectives, safety, and infection control and quality assurance programs
• Participate in a quality assurance program through post-incident analysis and debriefings
• Maintain good physical fitness
• Perform other related work as assigned
• Due to the diverse, chaotic, and ever-changing nature of emergency operations and scenes members in this rank may be required to perform additional duties and functions not listed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION PROCESS

By closing date of the announcement, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of the United States or a resident alien with the right to work in the United States.
• Have a high school diploma or valid equivalency certificate. Bachelor's degree, or an associate degree in a Fire Science or an EMS curriculum preferred.
• Hold a current State of Michigan Paramedic License, or National Registry EMT - Paramedic certification, or provide documentation that the applicant is within two months of graduation from a Paramedic curriculum.
• Possess a Conference of Western Wayne or EMPCO Firefighter written test score.*
• Possess (or be in the process of obtaining) the Candidate Physical Agility Test (CPAT) or equivalent agility test, which must have been issued in the 12 months prior to the date of application.
• Possess normal visual functions and acuity in each eye, correctable to 20/20 with eyeglasses.
• Be free from any physical defects, chronic diseases, organic or functional conditions or mental and emotional instabilities which may tend to impair the efficient performance of duties or which might endanger the lives of others or the individual employee.
• Possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's or a basic commercial driver's license and have an acceptable driving record.
• AT THE TIME OF CERTIFICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR FINAL INTERVIEW AND HIRING CONSIDERATION, CANDIDATES MUST POSSESS:
• A State of Michigan Firefighter II Certificate or equivalent certification in a state that has reciprocity; or, be within two months of completing a recognized Fire Program or Fire Academy that will result in Firefighter I & II certification. The candidate must possess Firefighter I & II certification by date of hire.
• The CPAT or equivalent requirement may be waived, at the discretion of the Fire Chief, if the applicant has previously passed the CPAT or equivalent test, and was employed as a certified Firefighter within the past year.

NOTE:  Candidates are required to submit original degrees/transcripts, licenses, and certifications by the interview date.

PARTS OF EXAMINATION AND WEIGHTS Written Test - 50%*          Oral Interview - 50% Background Investigation - Pass/Fail Psychological Evaluation - Pass/Fail

*Candidates must submit documentation of their CWW or EMPCO Firefighter written test results upon application. Firefighters with a minimum of one year of work experience (2912 hours) will be given the option of submitting a written fire test score from CWW or EMPCO; or, be assigned the minimum written passing score of 70% for purposes of exam calculation.

**The 15 candidates with the highest passing scores on the CWW or EMPCO Firefighter written test will be invited to continue to the interview portion of the examination process. Remaining candidates who pass the written test will have their names kept on file for future reference during the life of the eligible list.

Applicants must pass each part of the examination process in order to be placed on the eligible list. Candidates who possess and provide documentation of receipt of advanced degrees shall have points added to their earned scores. After passing all parts of the examination, one point will be added for attaining an associate degree in Fire Science or an EMS curriculum; two points will be added for attaining a bachelor's degree in Fire Science or an EMS curriculum.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Firefighting methods and equipment
• Basic and advanced life support and fire/rescue techniques
• Geography of the City and the location of fire hydrants

Ability to:

• Function calmly and efficiently under conditions of great stress
• Display sound judgment and make appropriate decisions in difficult situations
• Deal with persons under great emotional stress and maintain control of the situation
• React quickly in emergency situations and to exercise good judgment
• Establish and maintain harmonious relationships with other employees and to deal tactfully with the public
• Withstand prolonged periods of physical activity, often under adverse conditions

NOTE:  At the time of appointment, applicants are required to pass a complete pre-employment medical examination conducted by a physician authorized by the City of Livonia.

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this examination is to establish an eligible list to fill current, future, regular, and/or temporary vacancies.

HOW TO APPLY:  Applications can be completed anytime online at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/livonia. If work experience and/or specific skills are listed as qualifications, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to describe their experience and/or skills sufficiently in the Education and Work Experience sections of the application so that it may be determined if they meet the stated qualifications. Applicants who do not comply will be disqualified from further consideration. Attachments or resumes are not accepted in place of completing the information requested on the official application. Applicants will be notified by e-mail of the next steps in the examination process.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:  Appointees must satisfactorily complete a 12-month probationary period before the appointment will be considered regular.

The following is a brief overview of the benefits offered for this position. A new employee orientation will occur for each new employee and will include detailed information about the benefit offerings.

PAID TIME OFF

• Vacation
• Sick Leave
• Personal Business
• Bereavement Leave

Employees receive vacation and sick time based on their years of service. Upon completion of the first six months of employment, employees are also eligible for personal business time each calendar year.

There are thirteen paid holidays each calendar year: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. Three out of every four years, Election Day is also a paid holiday.

MEDICAL BENEFITS Medical and prescription drug coverage is offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and is available to employees and their eligible dependents. An employee has the choice between four Community Blue PPO plans and pays a monthly premium determined annually during each open-enrollment period which is in January of each year. New employees are eligible for medical coverage the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

The City also allows full-time employees who have health insurance through another provider to opt out of the City’s medical coverage and receive $1,000 per year (paid monthly) in lieu of coverage.

DENTAL & VISION Dental and vision insurance are also available for regular employees through Delta Dental and EyeMed, respectively.  The employee pays a monthly premium determined annually during each open-enrollment period which is in January of each year. New employees are eligible for these insurances the first of the month following employment.

LIFE INSURANCE The City offers a life insurance policy for its employees that is at no cost to the employee.  The coverage amount is equal to the employee’s annual pay rate rounded to the next higher even thousand, unless it already is an even thousand, and add $1,000. Coverage begins the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN The City offers a Defined Benefit plan for all newly hired Firefighter (Paramedic) employees with a minimum contribution from both the City and employee of 4% which begins immediately upon hire. Additional contributions from both the City and employee may be required depending on actuarially determined costs.  Employees hired as a Paramedic-Cadet or Firefighter (Basic EMT) will not be eligible for the Defined Benefit plan but would become eligible upon promotion to the Firefighter (Paramedic) classification.

Retirement eligibility is at any age with 25 years of service or age 52 with 15 years of service. The multiplier is 2.5% of base wages with a multiplier cap of 75%.

Employees may also participate in a Deferred Compensation (457) plan.

RETIREMENT HEALTH SAVINGS PLAN The City participates in the IAFF Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (IAFF MERP) for employees to assist with healthcare related costs in retirement. The employee contributes 2% of the maximum firefighter pay scale per month and the City contributes $217 per month to this Plan. The City’s contributions and earnings on those contributions are vested after five years of service.

VOLUNTARY SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS Employees are eligible to enroll in the City’s voluntary supplemental benefit program which offers accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and short-term disability coverage along with, identity theft protection and legal assistance.

JACK E. KIRKSEY RECREATION CENTER MEMBERSHIP All regular employees are eligible for a complimentary membership to the Jack E. Kirksey Recreation Center. Employees may also pay the difference in cost to upgrade their membership to add additional members of their household.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Fitness Program
• Food Allowance
• Short-term Disability
• Tuition Reimbursement