Firefighter (Basic Life Support)

About the role

This position is organizationally aligned to the Facilities Service Line — Tomah VA Medical Center Fire Department — at the Tomah VAMC (676), a Level 3 Complexity VHA facility located in Tomah, WI. The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Supervisory Firefighter (Captain) and supervision by the Assistant Fire Chief.

Responsibilities

• Control and extinguish fires; rescue persons endangered by fire; reduce or eliminate potential fire hazards.
• Provide basic life support and perform non‑invasive emergency medical procedures as a Basic Life Support/Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) following TVAMC protocols and directives (MCP MS‑03).
• Employ a variety of established emergency medical techniques, methods, and equipment to stabilize patients for transport.
• Operate various nozzles and hose lines; make connections to and operate fire hydrants; perform forcible entries; ventilate structures; carry, raise, and lower ground ladders; perform or assist in rescue operations; use hand tools, hydraulic tools, portable fire extinguishers; perform salvage and overhaul.
• Combat fires in residences, medical and psychological facilities, multiple‑story office buildings, industrial shops, warehouses, fuel storage areas, public assembly areas, and wildland areas.
• Respond to all emergency calls on Tomah VA Medical Center grounds and to mutual‑aid requests from surrounding communities when approved by management.
• Operate pumps, foam generators, and other specialized firefighting equipment; determine proper pressures for nozzle type, hose size, and distance.
• Independently perform fire inspection duties in areas where hazards are expected: inspect medical/psychological facilities, multiple‑story buildings, administrative buildings, public assemblies, industrial shops, warehouses, and residential quarters for fire safety violations and conditions contributing to fire hazards.
• Conduct pre‑incident planning by familiarizing with building interiors, locating hazards, and identifying established fire protection systems.
• Inspect built‑in fire protection features including fire barriers, smoke barriers, and fire doors.
• Perform regularly scheduled and unscheduled inspections of all safety equipment: fire extinguishers, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, fire doors, exits, stairways, indicator posts, standpipe systems, self‑contained breathing masks, and special inspections to ensure equipment is always operational.
• Conduct general work planning daily, particularly in training and fire inspections; review schedule to meet unexpected changes and duty assignments.
• Review, assess, and make recommendations concerning Fire Department records of fire prevention inspections, air packs, extinguishers, vehicles, hose, fire equipment, daily workloads, safety meetings, and pre‑fire planning.

Qualifications

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (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.

Schedule

Full time — 72 hours per week (144 hours per pay period). This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support)/PD24184A. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) not authorized.