Fire officer job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Fire officer in details. A complete job description concludes Fire officer key duties/responsibilities, Fire officer 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 officer duties:

1. Firefighter duties to include operation of all fire apparatus and equipment
2. Security duties and responsibilities
3. Qualify with and carry a firearm
4. Work in hot, cold, dirty, greasy, wet and noisy environments
5. Rotating shift work (some Saturdays and Sundays)
6. Must be able to maintain all certifications necessary to provide protection of the company's employees and assets such as basic emergency medical services, fire fighting and hazardous materials response.

II. List of Fire officer qualifications

1. High School Diploma or GED and a valid drivers license required
2. State or National Licensed basic EMT
3. Must be able to pass an entry level test and suitability assessment
4. Ability to handle stressful emergency situations
5. Ability to conduct investigations and document facts in a report format
6. Must be able to obtain a State of Illinois FOID, Firearm Authorization Card, and permanent employee registration card after hire
7. State or National Certified Firefighter
8. Hazardous Material Technician certification
9. Police or Military Experience/Background
10. Experience working in a manufacturing/industrial environment
11. Technical rescue training
12. Confined Space Rescue training

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.