Fire medic job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Fire medic in details. A complete job description concludes Fire medic key duties/responsibilities, Fire medic job qualifications (knowledge, education, skills, abilities, experience…KSA model) and other ones such as daily tasks, key activities, key/core competencies, job functions/purpose…

I. List of Fire medic duties:

1. Fire medics perform pre-hospital emergency care for injured or ill victims as well as fire suppression and rescue work on scene as directed.
2. Fire responsibilities include operating a firefighting vehicle, responding to fire alarms, taking command of a scene until a superior officer arrives and fire suppression techniques.
3. Medic responsibilities include starting intravenous (IV) or intraosseous (IO) lines in patients, taking blood, giving medication to patients, intubation to open airways, using an AED or inserting catheters, using respirators, performing CPR, helping with childbirth and any other medical emergency that comes up.
4. You will ride in a specific vehicle (ambulance or fire apparatus) to the emergency scene and may be required to travel onto the hospital with the patient as well.
5. A fire medic must always be training in the emergency and first aid techniques, the geography of their coverage area, how to efficiently operate on medical calls and firefighting methods.
6. Other duties can include preparing records and reports of incidents, training and inspections done, housekeeping of the station assigned to, attending classes and workshops and public outreach events.

II. List of Fire medic qualifications

1. Must be 18 years old by date of employment;
2. Must be a high school graduate or possess a GED certificate;
3. Must be certified to operate independently in the field for a minimum of one year as an EMT-P;
4. Must have NFPA, Pro Board or IFSAC Firefighter II certification;
5. Must have a valid driver’s license from state of residence.

III. Tips to write job description

1. Too-long job description:

Looking at a too-long job description can frighten the candidates off and drive the away. A job description, no matter how important the job is, should not be included in more than 3 pages. If one focuses on too many things at a time, he shall definitely lose focus on the main items and get overwhelmed by the remaining; So, keep it concisely.

2. Too-short job description:

While too-long can be a problem, too-short is more a problem. It will ruin the meaning of the job description. A too-short one means it lacks necessary details and therefore, the candidate will not be able to understand while reading it.

3. Listing unnecessary functions or job duties:

Just classifying these into the “others” category will save you a lot of effort and space. On the other hand, the job description will become more dilute and easy to be neglected.

4. Key functions

Not listing key functions as required for the job can be a fatal mistake to a job description.

5. Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and having spelling errors can ruin the job description, too. Never think that as you are the employer, you may have the right to make grammar or spelling errors while requires other not to. A job description with such errors is easily to be mistaken as a fake or ghost ads; as a result, the candidate will turn away from it.

6. Not specific enough:

Be specific and concise; if you don’t address the specific, then what the job description is for. It is for the candidate to understand just exactly what he needs to do or needs to have. Lacking details can confuse the candidates very well.

7. Not having the job description reviewed by others:

This is also a common mistake. One may be subject to bias, but more than one, especially with the help of those external advisor, the job description can be more perfect.

8. Using buzzwords or abbreviations:

In fact, it is not necessary at all to use such in a job description.

9. Using slang or legal words:

Just use common wording to communicate with others and don’t do anything extraordinarily.

10. Not updating the job description:

The same job may require different duties and responsibilities in different times, so, you cannot use the same job description for 2 different times.