Firefighter​/Paramedic

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under general supervision, performs various responsible fire service duties at an assigned fire station for the County's Fire and Rescue Department and performs skilled and technical work in rescuing victims and administering emergency medical to patients on site. Work involves performing various duties, including preventing, controlling and extinguishing fires; maintaining and servicing fire equipment, station house, and grounds; and maintaining operational readiness of departmental vehicles and equipment.

Employee is also responsible for operating a fire fighting vehicle in responding to fire alarms. Work also involves responding to the scene of emergency and non-emergency calls, applying necessary medical treatment to sick or injured persons, transporting persons to a medical facility. Employee serves as a member of an ambulance crew and is responsible for performing the duties of a Paramedic.

This position is differentiated from an Emergency Medical Technician of other certification levels by the additional requirements of performing defibrillation and cardioversion, using gas-powdered or hand-powered nebulizers, decompressing a tension pneumothorax by use of a catheter-flutter-valve device, using positive-end expiratory pressure respirators, performing cricothyrotomy for relief of upper airway obstruction, performing gastric suction by intubation, and performing urinary catheterization. Employee is subject to the usual hazards of firefighting duties and emergency rescue work, including risk of exposure to infectious diseases.

Reports to a Fire Rescue Shift Officer.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

Responds to emergency calls as a mobile medical unit attendant or driver, performs necessary rescue work in accordance with established protocols for Basic and Advanced Life Support; administers necessary emergency medical care requiring the use of suction units, immobilization equipment, intravenous infusions, syringes and medications, and cardiac monitors/defibrillator/pacers, and performance of intubation/advanced airway management.

Paramedic - paramedics trained in approved training programs, certified by the Department of Health C Bureau of Emergency Medical Services; to perform medical acts, and functioning in an improved mobile intensive care program may do any of the following in accordance with protocols established by their sponsor hospital:

(1) While at the scene of a medical emergency and confronted by a serious or life‑threatening clinical situation, if continual approval has been provided by the sponsoring Medical Director: (a) establish an intravenous or intraosseous line in a peripheral vein and administer any intravenous solution; (b) obtain blood for laboratory analysis; (c) administer parenterally, orally, sublingual, or topically any of the drugs approved by the County Medical Director;

(d) perform pulmonary ventilation by means of an endotracheal tube and/or perform cricothyrotomy for relief of upper airway obstruction; (e) perform defibrillation or cardioversion; (f) use gas‑powdered or hand‑powdered nebulizers; (g) decompress a tension pneumothorax by use of a catheter‑flutter‑valve device; (h) use positive and expiratory pressure respirators; (i) perform gastric suction by intubation; and (j) perform external cardiac pacing.

(2) When confronted with a pulse‑less, non‑breathing patient, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation, pulmonary ventilation by means of an endotracheal tube and administer appropriate cardiac drugs prior to contacting the nearest hospital.

(3) Establish an intravenous or intraosseous line in a peripheral vein and administer any intravenous solution approved by the Medical Director for use by EMT‑Ps prior to contacting the receiving hospital.

May perform a of the following procedures if allowed by the County Emergency Medical Services System in which they function: (1) patient assessment; (2) basic life support techniques in accordance with the American Heart Association or American Red Cross including airway management and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; (3) Oxygen…