Volunteer Firefighter – Chatham-Kent- 2022

Volunteering as a Chatham-Kent Volunteer Firefighter is both challenging and rewarding. You will respond to fires, medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, specialized rescues, all community disasters and hazardous events, public assistance calls, provide emergency patient care, perform fire ground and rescue operations, educate the public about safety, assist with fire investigations and maintain fire apparatus, equipment, and fire stations.

• Demonstrate Chatham-Kent’s core values and competencies
• Respond to all emergency incidents when called upon within the community, including: all fires, medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous materials events, water/ice rescue events, high-level rescue events, trench and confined space rescue events, all community disasters and hazardous events, public assistance calls, other rescue operations, educate the public about safety, assist with fire investigations and maintain fire apparatus, equipment, and fire stations
• Provide and participate in CKFES, Municipal and Provincial formal training and education sessions
• Ensure compliance with all applicable Provincial and NFPA Standards
• Employ tactics and tasks at an emergency incident to support the strategic decisions of the Incident Commander, properly conduct primary and secondary search techniques and fire mitigation strategies at all structural emergency events
• Properly employ technical rescue techniques and safety procedures when trained and certified to do so
• Participate in the stabilization of all emergency scenes and in the attainment of key emergency scene benchmarks
• Engage in proper search and rescue techniques
• Identify hazardous materials and conditions, isolate and evacuate exposed areas in accordance with guidelines and standards
• Provide and engages in key emergency scene components, including: accountability and entry control, safety officer
• Conduct an ongoing hazard/risk analysis at all emergency scenes
• Complete all reports and forms as assigned in accordance with corporate and provincial standards
• Conduct Home Safety Education Programming
• Participate in other public safety education programming as required
• Provide emergency patient care in accordance with departmental, Base Hospital, Provincial and National Standards
• Stabilize rescue scenes, casualties and extricate casualties when necessary from circumstances where they are trapped
• Maintain all certifications as required
• Mentor and train new firefighters
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of all street and occupancy locations within their first response area
• Maintain physical fitness, submit to medical examinations if requested
• Conduct pre-fire planning and record plans of major occupancies and transportation arteries in their first response areas
• Thoroughly understand and comply with all department operating guidelines, policies, rules and regulations
• Maintain, inspect and test fire apparatus, equipment, and fire stations and provide minor repairs and renovations
• Participate in the Post Incident Analysis of all major calls
• Participate in Critical Incident Stress debriefings when required
• Assist with analysis of departmental programs as requested
• Complete and provide witness statements as required
• Expected to maintain a high level of professionalism, solve problems, work as part of a dynamic team, and follow written and verbal instructions
• Promptly and efficiently respond to instructions as is consistent with a paramilitary organization
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required

Essential qualifications

• Must be 18 years of age or older and legally entitled to work in Canada
• Possess a secondary school graduation certificate or equivalent
• Able to understand and communicate clearly in oral and written English
• Successful completion of an acceptable Firefighter Aptitude and Physical Ability tests
• Have the ability to do basic mathematical calculations without the use of a calculator
• The ability to read and follow maps

Other qualifications

• Post-secondary education an asset (i.e. college, university, business school, apprenticeship program, continuing education)
• Previous professional and/or volunteer firefighting experience an asset
• Other emergency service experiences an asset (i.e. military, paramedic, emergency service, medical experience, etc.)
• Community involvement and/or volunteer experience an asset
• Basic level knowledge of fire protection systems including: fire alarm systems, fire sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, smoke removal systems and water supply systems an asset

Certifications, memberships, licenses

• NFPA 1001 Level 1 or higher an asset
• Able to obtain a valid first aid certificate, a valid CPR Basic Rescuer Certificate (Level C)
• Licensed in a trade is an asset
• Able to obtain a valid Ontario DZ Driver’s License within two years of hire
• Other certifications are an asset

Work environment/hours of work

• This position works both indoors and outdoors
• This position works various hours

Municipality of Chatham-Kent COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. All new employees must be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment unless approved for an exemption.

Driver’s licence/vehicle requirements

Because of the responsibilities, this position requires the successful candidate to have a valid Ontario driver’s licence (minimum class G); a driver’s abstract will be conducted by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. An acceptable driver’s abstract will: be an original document and current (within the previous thirty (30) days); have no more than four (4) demerit points; have no more than two (2) convictions for the same offence; have no criminal code convictions; have no ‘non-medical or administrative’ license suspension in the preceding three (3) years.

Candidate must be able to obtain a valid Ontario Class DZ Driver's License within two years of hire

Background check requirements

Because of the environment this position will be working in, the successful candidate will be required to furnish an original Police Information Search (criminal reference check) (working with vulnerable persons) prior to commencement of employment; you must be 18 years of age or older to obtain a vulnerable police check.

Essential physical and/or safety requirements

• Must be physically fit to handle the sustained, intense, physical effort often required to perform these duties
• A detailed physical demands analysis is available for this position
• Handling: frequent handling (up to 45 kgs or 100 lbs) (operate nozzle, hydrant, power cords, roll/reload hose, hand tools, lift casualty/patient, pails of foam)
• Gripping: frequent gripping (hold tools, chainsaw, jaws, hose, coupling, poles, ladder, compartment handles, blocks/cribbing, pry bar, operate extinguisher, power cords, hammer)
• Reaching: occasional and frequent (retrieve and reload materials on truck, reach for victims, reach with pole, reach for roofing materials, alarms, sprinklers)
• Foot action: occasional and frequent (move debris or hose, climbing ladder, climbing in and around truck)
• Climbing: frequent climbing of ladders