Job Title: EMT Paramedic
Department: Fire Department
Reports to: Fire Lieutenant or assigned Fire Officer
FLSA Status: Nonexempt
Starting Pay: $18.90/hourly
Approximate Annual Scheduled Hours: 2,920 per year based on assigned shift schedule
Estimated Annualized Compensation:  $58,476 per year, $18.90 per hour annualized at 2920hours per year, Dependent on Qualifications (DOQ)

Position Summary

An EMT Paramedic is responsible for performing public safety work involving the protection of life and property using Emergency Medical Services skills up to the EMT Paramedic level. This position also supports emergency response readiness through training, station duties, equipment maintenance, inspections, and public education as assigned. Work is performed in indoor and outdoor environments and may involve extreme temperatures, inclement weather, hostile environments, confined spaces, and high noise intensity. The EMT Paramedic must be able to carry out duties consistent with EMT Basic and EMT Intermediate skill sets and provide ALS care within the EMT Paramedic scope of practice.

This is a safety sensitive role meaning the position is subject to random drug testing. If a candidate is promoted into this position from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety sensitive one, he/she must pass an assigned drug test.

Condition of Continued Employment: 

The employee must obtain and maintain the required Fire certification as a condition of continued employment within the timelines and standards established by the Fire Department. Failure to obtain or maintain required Fire certification may result in removal from the position and may result in separation from employment, consistent with City policy and applicable procedures.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

The EMT Paramedic must be able to perform the following essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation. 

•  In the absence of an officer, assume command and make critical decisions pertaining to life safety within the scope of assignment and department procedures.
• Deliver and direct the delivery of emergency medical services up to the EMT Paramedic skill set.
• Provide appropriate responses to fires, medical calls, rescues, and other emergencies.
• Conduct complex rescue operations and render aid to those in emergency situations.
• Function effectively and cope with situations involving severe trauma, including seriously injured or deceased patients.
• Operate emergency apparatus and equipment safely and effectively, including driving and operating vehicles and related equipment as authorized and trained.
• Follow policies, procedures, and lawful orders of supervisors and demonstrate professional leadership and guidance in job-related matters.
•  Operate all equipment in a safe, lawful manner and in compliance with City policy, department SOPs, and supervisory direction.
• Participate in daily fire station operations and ensure readiness for emergency response.
• Perform routine inspection, care, repair, and maintenance of equipment and station facilities.
• Enter accurate incident and patient care information into computer systems and complete required reports and documentation.
• Work with cleaning fluids, chemicals, insecticides, and similar solutions using appropriate protective equipment and safety practices.
• Assist with hazardous materials mitigation activities within training level and department procedures.
• Clean and maintain Fire Department buildings, apparatus, tools, equipment, and grounds.
• Understand and interpret specialized testing, documentation, and reporting procedures required for EMS and department operations.
• Provide fire safety, prevention, and public education to the public as assigned.
•  Perform company-level inspections of buildings and occupancies as assigned.
• Participate in and support preplanning of buildings and occupancies as assigned.
•  Participate in training as required and assist with training activities for department personnel as assigned.
• Document training attended and training provided in accordance with department standards.
• Plan and manage assigned projects and inspect job sites to ensure work quality and compliance with laws, regulations, policies, and safety standards.
• Respond to questions from citizens and partner agencies in a professional manner.
• Attend meetings as assigned or required.
• Use good judgment in decision-making and in carrying out all job duties.
• Work effectively both individually and as a team member and maintain a helpful, cooperative, and courteous attitude with the public, coworkers, and others.
• Maintain punctual, regular, and reliable onsite attendance.
• Safeguard City property and recognize and report needed repairs.
• Follow the chain of command and appropriate reporting practices.
• Work safely, follow safety rules and training, and maintain a clean, safe, and healthful work environment.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality regarding City business.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Fire Department Officers.

Minimum Required Qualifications

The EMT Paramedic must meet the following minimum requirements.

• High school graduation or its equivalent.
• Certification as EMT Paramedic by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Satisfactory results of background and employment screening checks, including physical exam and drug screening.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The EMT Paramedic must have significant knowledge, skills and abilities in the following areas:

• Comprehensive knowledge of Department Standard Operating Procedures and Emergency Medical Protocols.
• Ability to lead, motivate, supervise, train, and coach FF EMT Intermediate and FF EMT Basic personnel as assigned.
• Ability to analyze emergency situations and react quickly, calmly, and correctly, with due regard to hazards and circumstances.
• Ability to function effectively in emergency situations.
• Ability to respond in person to emergency events as requested.
• Ability to speak, read, write, and understand the English language, with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative working relationships with City employees, officials, and representatives from local, state, and federal agencies.
• Significant working knowledge of the department’s coverage area and surrounding areas.
• Working knowledge of department owned equipment and ability to perform inspections and light routine maintenance.
• Ability to understand and follow department policies and procedures, including chain of command reporting.
• Knowledge and ability to perform public education on fire safety and fire prevention.
• Ability to maintain accurate logs, activity reports, and other records.
• Working knowledge of locally adopted fire and building codes and ability to apply them during company level inspections of buildings and property within the City’s jurisdiction.
• Working knowledge of HIPAA requirements related to EMS operations and ability to maintain patient confidentiality.

Working Conditions and Environmental Hazards:

Work is performed in diverse and unpredictable environments, including ambulances, residences, healthcare facilities, public roadways, industrial sites, emergency scenes, and outdoor locations. Employees routinely respond to emergencies under hazardous conditions and may encounter environmental, biological, chemical, physical, and psychological hazards while providing patient care and rescue services.

• Responds to emergency incidents involving medical emergencies, motor vehicle crashes, rescues, hazardous situations, and other life-threatening events.
• Works in indoor and outdoor environments under varying weather conditions, including extreme heat, extreme cold, rain, wind, humidity, and other adverse environmental conditions.
• Performs duties in confined spaces, restricted access areas, elevated locations, unstable terrain, collapsed structures, and other hazardous environments.
• May work in environments with smoke, dust, airborne particulates, reduced visibility, excessive noise, and other contaminated or hazardous atmospheric conditions.
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and other specialized safety equipment, while performing emergency operations.
• May be exposed to environments that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH), including hazardous materials incidents, fire-related conditions, and other emergency situations.
• Frequently exposed to communicable diseases, bloodborne pathogens, bodily fluids, and other biohazardous materials.
• Regularly works around moving traffic, heavy equipment, emergency vehicles, and other operational hazards.
• May encounter combative, violent, emotionally distressed, intoxicated, or cognitively impaired individuals.
• Performs rescue and patient care activities in confined, cramped, or otherwise physically restrictive spaces.
• May be exposed to structural collapse hazards, entrapment hazards, cave-ins, vehicle crash scenes, and other emergency scene dangers.
• Regularly exposed to severely injured, critically ill, or deceased patients and other emotionally challenging or traumatic situations.
• Works rotating schedules, extended shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, mandatory overtime, and disaster or emergency deployments as operational needs require.
• Must comply with safety regulations, infection-control practices, departmental policies, and the proper use of personal protective equipment.

Physical and Mental Demands

The EMT Paramedic must meet the following physical and mental requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation. These requirements are representative and not all-inclusive. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Emergency Response and Rescue Capabilities

• Administer emergency first aid and advanced pre-hospital medical care to injured or ill persons.
• Respond to emergency incidents and utilize Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), and paramedic skills to assess, treat, and stabilize patients.
• Perform search and rescue activities involving injured, trapped, endangered, or incapacitated persons.
• Use axes, pry tools, pike poles, and other rescue equipment to gain access to vehicles, structures, or incident scenes.
• Operate hydraulic, pneumatic, and other rescue equipment to extricate trapped or endangered persons.
• Use hand tools and equipment to remove debris and assist with rescue operations.
• Operate emergency vehicles and equipment requiring a Texas Class B Exempt CDL, as applicable.

Sensory and Cognitive Requirements

• Distinguish colors to identify NFPA 704 hazard markings, hazardous material indicators, smoke conditions, and other visual safety cues.
• Use sight, hearing, smell, and touch to assess patients, detect hazards, monitor changing environmental conditions, and identify warning signals such as gas leaks, traffic hazards, alarms, sirens, and calls for assistance.
• Maintain situational awareness and make sound decisions in rapidly changing, high-risk, and time-sensitive environments.
• Comprehend, analyze, and make inferences from environmental conditions, patient presentations, emergency scenes, written materials, and operational procedures.
• Read, interpret, and apply Department Standard Operating Procedures, medical protocols, equipment instructions, pre-incident plans, and other technical documents.
• Learn, retain, and apply emergency medical knowledge and skills through classroom instruction, continuing education, training exercises, and practical experience.
• Maintain emotional stability, sound judgment, and effective decision-making when responding to traumatic, life-threatening, and high-stress incidents.
• Work effectively under extreme pressure, stress, and emergency conditions while maintaining professionalism and patient care standards.

Strength, Mobility, and Physical Activity Requirements

• Move heavy objects weighing up to 100 pounds or more, including patients, stretchers, EMS equipment, trauma boxes, body boards, rescue equipment, and other emergency response tools, with assistance as needed.
• Lift, carry, push, pull, drag, and transfer patients, equipment, and supplies during emergency and non-emergency operations.
• Position, raise, climb, and descend ladders and stairs while carrying equipment and performing emergency response duties.
• Sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stretch, and maintain awkward or sustained postures for extended periods.
• Perform physically demanding tasks requiring strength, endurance, coordination, balance, and manual dexterity.

Disclosures

• OVERTIME NOTICE FOR PARAMEDIC ONLY: This position is nonexempt and eligible for overtime in accordance with the FLSA and City policy. Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in the City’s established 7-day workweek. Hours may not be averaged over two or more workweeks
• OVERTIME (AFTER FIRE CERTIFICATION): If the employee obtains the Fire certification and is officially assigned to fire protection duties that meet the FLSA fire protection employee definition, overtime will be administered under the City’s adopted FLSA 7(k) work period for fire protection employees. Under the City’s 14 day work period, overtime is paid after 106 hours worked in that work period, in accordance with the FLSA and City policy.
• The overtime standard applicable to the position will be based on the employee’s assigned classification and duties during the applicable work period, not solely on certification status.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The City of Converse is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request in accordance with applicable federal and Texas laws.