Ignition Control Officer

SUMMARY

The Ignition Control Officer is responsible to safely construct, ignite, and control fires in the Montgomery County live fire burn building for fire suppression training programs, drills, and exercises in accordance with the Montgomery County Fire Academy Standard Operating Guidelines and NFPA 1403 Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions.

The Ignition Control Officer may also be called upon to support additional Fire Academy training programs as needed. This position is designed to serve as a developmental pathway for future fire instructors.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Construct, ignite, and control training fires at the Montgomery County Fire Academy;
• Provide guidance to fire companies utilizing Fire Academy training facilities including live fire training evolutions;
• Complete documentation and reports relating to training programs, drills, exercises, and injuries in accordance with standard operating guidelines;
• Clean and restore to service firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) including structural firefighting turn out gear and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA);
• Support other Montgomery County Fire Academy training programs as needed.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or GED;
• Minimum twenty-one (21) years of age;
• A minimum of three (3) years' experience in the fire service;
• Professional certification as a NFPA 1001 Firefighter II;
• Professional certification as NFPA 1041 Fire & Emergency Services Instructor I within three (3) years of hire;
• National Fire Academy 16-hour Incident Safety Officer course within one (1) year of hire;
• Currently certified in CPR and first aid and maintain certification for duration of employment;
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills;
• Able to work various weekday evenings, and weekends;
• Must have or be able to obtain current FBI criminal background check, PA Child Abuse check and PA State Police clearance for employment prior to hire (volunteer-level clearances are not acceptable).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear for four to eight hours depending on the class.

The employee is occasionally required to use hands and fingers, to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands or arms;

and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is regularly required to do moderate and occasionally heavy physical work including reaching, pulling, climbing a ladder or structure, bending, and lifting up to 50 pounds.

Ability to wear job-specific personal protective equipment including the use of self-contained breathing apparatus in accordance with manufacturer specifications and applicable codes and standards.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT :

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate with some periods of elevated noise that may require the use of hearing protection.

The employee typically works in a live fire training facility with potential immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) atmospheric conditions and high heat levels.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY : It is the policy of the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety to promote the employment of all individuals in accordance with their fullest abilities regardless of their race, color, religious creed, age, gender, political affiliation / registration, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, lifestyle, familial status or non-job-related handicaps or disabilities.

All Department employees will be provided equal opportunities in employment, wages, promotions, benefits and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment.