Fire Recruit (Fire Department)

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attends classroom training to learn Firefighter duties, responsibilities and skills; attends physical training classes as directed.
• Learns to maintain SAFD facilities, vehicles, equipment, apparatus, and tools; learns to inspect and repair equipment after use, and restock medical supplies; notifies supervisors of equipment problems beyond the scope of authority or skills.
• Assists with the inspection and maintenance of personal protective equipment.
• Learns to operate emergency, fire, rescue, medical and life saving tools and equipment.
• Learns to mitigate hazards, emergency situations and hazardous materials incidents, and perform clean-up activities at fire and emergency scenes.
• Performs station maintenance; maintains station living quarters and grounds as directed.
• Learns City geography, traffic patterns, streets, landmarks, building locations, and special hazards of designated facilities, to ensure that firefighting activities are accomplished quickly and effectively.
• Learns to conduct public education sessions; participates in fire prevention, pre-fire planning and safety programs; assists with training of citizens and volunteer staff as assigned.
• Regular and timely attendance is required.
• Other duties as assigned.

The fire service of the City of San Angelo is under the State's Civil Service Statutes for Municipal Government (Texas Local Government Code Chapter 143). Each applicant must meet certain requirements to become a fire fighter. The City of San Angelo has a nondiscriminatory policy which states: The City will not discriminate in its personnel selection or hiring, training, or promotions with regards to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin as defined in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

DO YOU MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS?

• AGE: Eighteen (18) is the minimum age and thirty-five (35) is the maximum age to be hired.
• EDUCATION: All new hires must have the equivalent of a high school education and be able to intelligently read and write the English language.
• CHARACTER & BACKGROUND: All applicants must be of good moral character with temperate habits. Applicants with a felony conviction will not be accepted under the state laws nor will applicants who were former civil service employees dismissed for misconduct or disciplinary reasons.
• DRIVING RECORD: During the last five years, an individual must not have: 1) a DWI conviction; 2) more than three moving violations; or 3) more than two moving violations and one chargeable accident.
• EYESIGHT: Eyesight must be correctable to 20/30 in each eye binocularly. The maximum visual acuity is 20/200. Must be able to successfully pass the Ishihara color-blind test.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Once you have submitted your online application, you will receive an email with further instructions on how to upload the documents listed below:

1. A copy of your high school diploma or GED certificate.
2. A copy of your high school transcript(s).
3. A copy of your college degree(s).
4. A copy of your college transcript(s).
5. A copy of your technical school certificate(s).
6. A certified copy of your birth certificate (must have a seal from the Bureau of Vital Statistics) or naturalization certificate. NOTE: The copy from the hospital with footprints on the back will not suffice.
7. Copy of shot record showing the following shots up to date: Tdap, MMR (2 doses), IPV, Bacterial meningitis (if under 22 years of age), Chickenpox (2 doses or blood test), Hepatitis B series (3 doses or blood test), Flu shot and TB test.
8.  Military Service - DD Form 214 - A copy of discharge papers. If you are currently in the reserves, a letter from your commanding officer indicating good standing must be submitted. This information will determine if you are eligible for veteran’s points.
9. Copy of driver license.
10. Copy of social security card.

All items listed above must be completed and turned in before your application will be accepted. Applications once filed remain the property of the City and are not returned under any circumstances. Do not submit original documents - copies will suffice or bring the original and have Human Resource staff make copies.

** NOTICE **

You will be notified of the date of the entrance exam, if available, when you submit your application. If the date is not available, notification will be emailed by the Human Resources Department. Your application must be received by or submitted to the Human Resources Department by the deadline to be considered for the next scheduled examination. Exam announcements will be posted in the Human Resources Department or City Hall Lobby.

EXAM OVERVIEW

WRITTEN EXAMINATION: The written examination tests applicants in reading comprehension and writing skills. Each applicant's grade on the written examination is to be based on a maximum grade of 100% determined entirely by the correctness of answers to the questions. Minimum passing grade is 70% and each applicant must pass the examination in order to be placed on the eligibility list. The grade that goes on the eligibility list is computed by the applicant's written examination grade being added to any veterans' preference points earned. Your exam will be graded within a week of the exam and you will be notified.

PHYSICAL ABILITY TEST: The physical ability test is a course which consists of eight (8) separate stations that simulate fire ground activity. This test will consist of exercises to test cardiovascular strength and endurance; arm, back, leg and grip strength. These 8 stations will be performed in sequence. The entire course must be completed within the required time limit. This is a pass or fail test only. This means a passing time will not change your standing on the Eligibility List; but a failing time will remove your name from the Eligibility List. All participants will be furnished the required protective equipment. All participants should be dressed in suitable exercise clothing, preferably long pants or sweatpants. The Fire Department will only test the estimated number of applicants needed to fill vacancies.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Each candidate will have a complete background check by the police department's background investigators. The results of the background investigation will go before a review committee to analyze the information developed during the investigation. The review committee consists of the Fire Chief, Assistant Chiefs and the Civil Service Director. If the committee determines the background unfavorable or unacceptable according to the Civil Service Law, City of San Angelo, or Fire Department standards, the applicants may be rejected at this step.

CREDIT CHECK: Each applicant will have their credit checked by a background investigator. If you have any problems with your credit, it is suggested that you talk with the credit bureau and try to resolve the problem.

CRIMINAL RECORD: Candidate must not have been convicted of a misdemeanor offense above the grade of Class C Misdemeanor within the last five years.

POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION: A polygraph examination will be administered to all fire recruit finalists to verify application and background information.

ORAL INTERVIEW: After successfully passing the written examination, physical ability, credit check, and background investigation an oral interview will be scheduled.

PHYSICAL/MEDICAL EXAMS: The City’s Human Resource Department will schedule physical and medical examinations. A candidate who does not pass the physical or medical examination will be dropped from the roster.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION: All applicants for beginning positions who have successfully passed all phases will undergo a psychological and an emotional health examination.

HIRING PROCEDURES

ELIGIBILITY ROSTER: After successfully completing the written examination, you become a candidate and your name is placed on the Eligibility Roster. The candidate's placement on this roster is determined by the total points accumulated from the written examination and veteran's preference points. Five (5) extra points are given to veterans of the armed forces with an honorable discharge; or active reserves indicating good standing from their commanding officer. The candidate with most points is listed first on the Eligibility Roster and so-forth in descending order of total points. This Eligibility Roster is good for one (1) year unless exhausted before that time. If at any point you fail the credit check, background investigation, or oral examination, you will be dropped from the roster and notified.

HIRE DATE: As the chief needs new personnel, the chief selects the candidate to be hired from the Eligibility Roster. Normally, the individual with the highest score is selected first. A candidate may be "bypassed" by the chief. If a candidate is "bypassed" three times, they will be dropped from the roster. When a candidate is selected, he or she will be notified by the civil service director to report for duty on a specified date.