Job description

A firefighter’s key purpose is to actively and competently contribute to the overall objectives of their team. These overall objectives include:

Risk Reduction (Mitigation) – To participate in implementing fire prevention and fire loss reduction strategies.
Readiness – To be familiar with district tactical plans, maintain personal readiness for response, and assist to maintain the readiness of the station.
Response – Undertake all required activities at an emergency incident, and as directed by the Officer in Charge.
Recovery – Assist with recovery, provide care for members of the public injured or distressed, and assist to ensure the emergency situation and incident ground is safe.

Firefighter key responsibilities

A firefighter’s key responsibilities are to:

Participate in planning and organising the Fire Safety, Prevention and Response activities.
Educate and train all sectors of the community in fire prevention behaviour and good practice.
Encourage communities, employers, householders and individuals to take greater responsibility for their own protection from fire.
Identify and report all fire hazards by systematic inspection of buildings.
Identify high-risk groups through demographic analysis and other statistical means.
Provide support facilities to volunteer brigades including equipment servicing, training and administrative support.

Obey all lawful and reasonable orders and instructions of supervisors and the NZFS.
Participate and assist in the investigation of actual fires, and recommending appropriate prevention measures.
Prepare and maintain risk plans, and be familiar with all potential major incident grounds in the District or turnout area.
Act appropriately to ensure punctuality, grooming, courteousness, ethical behaviour and fair work.
Carry out daily administrative and reporting duties.
Carry out the necessary study, training or development that will achieve the agreed goals.
Contribute to the development of new and innovative systems and practices designed to reduce the number of fires and their consequences.
Carry out daily station maintenance duties as required for the healthy and efficient running of the station.
Other duties as may be discussed from time to time with the Fire Officer and communicated to the firefighter.

Advocate best practice safety standards to building design and management professionals.
Advocate the use of fire monitoring, detection and early warning systems in all residential buildings.
Promote and encourage compliance with fire detection regulations in industrial, commercial, institutional buildings and other places of assembly.

Maintain appliances, hose, ladders, breathing apparatus portable pumps, rescue gear, communications equipment and facilities to high standards.
Take full part in all training needed to maintain incident ground competence.
Attend fire and other emergencies and undertake suppression and mitigation activities as appropriate.
Use knowledge and techniques of fire investigation to determine cause and principal factors involved in fire so as to develop future preventative plans and programmes.
Assist in the clean up and recovery of the incident site and restore the fire appliance and equipment to full readiness for the next emergency.
Negotiate and agree on a personal development programme with the Fire Officer.

Listening and questioning skills together with the ability to understand and communicate information particularly to special needs groups e.g. people with disabilities, the elderly, ethnic minorities etc.
The ability to educate, train and positively influence the behaviour of varied groups of people.
Skills in identifying hazards and applying a risk based approach to eliminating or reducing hazards.
The ability to prepare and/or review detailed risk plans in advance of actual emergencies.
Excellent skills in the maintenance requirements and quality assurance programmes for all fire fighting and emergency equipment.
A high level of competence in the incident ground use of all fire fighting and emergency equipment.
Competence in approved fire ground or other incident ground procedures and practices.

Excellent knowledge of risk management principles applicable to the role.
Excellent knowledge of the causes and development of fire and other hazards, and in the prevention, control and extinction of fire.
Knowledge of the Fire Service Act, the Building Act and associated regulations, and the Evacuation of Buildings regulations.
Knowledge of the Health and Safety in Employment Act, the Resource Management Act and associated statutes which directly affect the work and operations of the Fire Service.
Knowledge of quality assurance principles, inspection, compliance monitoring, audit sampling and reporting.

Shows enthusiasm and a desire to get on with the job.
Manages own time well, is organised and delivers on commitments.
Maintains a high level of personal fitness appropriate to the requirements of the position.
Demonstrates integrity in both words and actions and takes pride in their contribution.
Offers ideas, shares suggestions and accepts constructive feedback.
Continually identifies and implements ways to improve own performance, that of their team and the overall organisation.
Shows unswerving commitment to fire prevention strategies.
Is committed to full cooperation with, and assistance of Volunteer Brigades and individual Volunteer Firefighters.
Demonstrates a professional courteous attitude to the role and is fully committed to serving the local community.
Accepts their role within the team and contributes fully to the team’s success.
Enjoys working with and forming good relationships with other team members and various community groups.
Appreciates the different cultures within the community and respects their needs.