Volunteer Firefighter

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has potential openings for Volunteer Firefighters in the Fire & Emergency Services division. If you wish to express your interest in a future vacancy, please review the information below.

Job description

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.

Essential responsibilities

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 Ce