Firefighter I (Entrance) (Class Code 7210)

Skilled work involving the response to emergency situations in the City of New Orleans for the protection of life and property, reducing the incidence of fire and the loss of life to civilians and fire personnel. Involves work in Emergency Medical Response, Extinguishment and Prevention of fires, Public Safety and Emergency Management related work as required; semi-skilled work in maintaining equipment, apparatus, and quarters in good condition. Work involves an element of personal danger.
Functions of the position are: preventing, responding to and mitigating emergencies i.e. extinguishing fires, rendering medical care, conducting inspections, installing smoke alarms, presenting fire safety and public education programs, working in shelters during emergencies, emergency management and public safety duties and related work as required.
Work involves the performance of tasks requiring considerable physical exertion, often under emergency and hazardous conditions. Employee must execute orders from commanding officers in a prompt, efficient manner according to appropriate methods and techniques. Duties also include forcible entry; ventilation; the search for, and rescue of fire victims; salvage; overhaul; and the proper response to medical emergencies or hazardous materials incidents. Employee must keep abreast of new developments in firefighting and prevention techniques through training. All duties are to be performed in compliance with the rules and regulations, policies and procedures of the NOFD. Upon hire to the classification of Firefighter I candidates will serve a one (1) year probationary period in that classification.

1. Applicants must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of application. Applicants must present a valid picture identification, issued by a state or other governmental agency, within two weeks of application.
   NOTE: Applicants must present a valid Driver's License to the New Orleans Fire Department prior to being given a conditional offer of employment.
2. An official High School Diploma or G.E.D. Proof of graduation (either original High School Diploma, official high school transcript or original G.E.D. issued by a state Department of Education) must be presented to the New Orleans Civil Service Department within two weeks of application.
3. One (1) year of firefighting experience in a professional/paid fire department.
4. Good physical and psychological condition to perform the essential functions of the job of Firefighter I.
5. Arrests and convictions for felonies or numerous misdemeanors are disqualifying.
6. Applicants must have a valid picture identification, issued by a state or other governmental agency, on their person during all phases of application and examination.
7. Applicants must prove certification in the following areas. All certifications must be IFSAC (International Fire Service Accreditation) and/or Pro Board (International Accreditation for Fire Service Organizations) sealed. Proof of certifications must be submitted to the Civil Service Department within two weeks of application.

This position requires a one (1) year probationary period. No probationary period may last longer than one (1) year.

• The following certifications must be obtained from the Louisiana State University's (LSU) Fire and Emergency Training institute (FETI): Haz-Mat Awareness, Haz-Mat Operations, Firefighter I, and Firefighter II during the probationary period. Failure to obtain all four certifications during the probationary period will result in removal from the Firefighter I classification through termination or demotion to Fire Recruit.

NOTE: Hiring considerations will be given for applicants domiciled in the City of New Orleans.
NOTE: Hiring considerations will be given for applicants who possess an Emergency Medical Technician Certification (EMT) or a higher level of medical training.a) A written multiple-choice test, weighted 100%.
Note: 24% of the multiple-choice test contains questions based on an audio component.
b) A qualifying physical agility test.
The written test may include some or all of the following:
Observational Skills
Verbal Comprehension/Listening Skills
Reading Comprehension
Mechanical Comprehension
Basic Tools
Interpersonal Skills
Problem Analysis & Decision Making
Written Communication
Arithmetic Skills
ALL APPLICANTS are required to assist and cooperate with the Civil Service Department, and the New Orleans Fire Department in obtaining past employment records, medical records, or personal history information. Failure to comply may be considered cause for disqualification.
Applicants who pass the written and agility tests will be scheduled to undergo and pass a criminal background investigation.
If given a conditional offer of employment, a qualifying medical test including a chest x-ray, lumbar spine x-ray, and psychological/psychiatric evaluation will be administered. A stress EKG may be given.
This is an original entrance examination.
Domicile requirements are waived for this position.

THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, AGE, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, CREED, CULTURE, OR ANCESTRY. REQUESTS FOR ALTERNATE FORMAT OR ACCOMMODATIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO SHANA PARKER AT (504) 658-3516 OR TTY/VOICE AT (504) 586-4475 or (504) 658-4020.
DOMICILE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT: Domicile requirements are currently waived for the purpose of application. However, all new full time employees hired into this classification on or after January 1, 2013 must be domiciled in Orleans Parish within 180 days of hire. Airport and public safety employees are excluded from this provision.
BACKGROUND CHECK: The hiring department will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant's criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate.

APPLICATIONS: Applications will not be accepted if received after the closing date or after the stated maximum number of applications has been received, as specified on this announcement. All minimum qualification requirements for examinations must be met by the final filing date unless otherwise specified on this announcement. PAPER APPLICATIONS must be submitted on the official application form AND MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CITY CIVIL SERVICE, 1340 POYDRAS STREET, SUITE 900, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, BEFORE THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE FINAL FILING DATE.
DELAY IN THE MAIL: The Department of City Civil Service cannot be responsible for failure of the applicant to receive an admission slip to an examination or for failure of the Department to receive material mailed by the applicant. Applicants should notify the Department of City Civil Service in writing of any address changes.
The minimum age limit is 18 years for any class of work requiring hard physical labor, operation of or proximity to hazardous machinery, exposure to hazardous chemicals, or participation in any other processes or procedures which are prohibited or limited by the Louisiana State Child Labor Law.

WORKING TEST PERIOD:Effective August 1, 2023, the working test (probationary) period for all positions in the classified service is one year.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTING: The City of New Orleans has a comprehensive program of substance abuse testing. Candidates for employment for certain positions where the health, welfare and/or safety of the public, co-workers and the individual employee is at risk will have to undergo pre-employment substance abuse screening. Candidates for all other original entrance positions will have to undergo an unannounced substance abuse screening during their working test period. For further information, see Civil Service Rule V, Section 9.
A MEDICAL EXAMINATION is required for all original entrance probationary appointments to ACTIVE classifications, and may be required for re-employment, promotions and/or transfers.

A MEDICAL SCREENING, which may result in a medical examination, is required for all original entrance probationary appointments to non-active classifications.
GOOD MORAL CHARACTER is required of all applicants. Any applicant may be disqualified if his/her character or past employment record is found to be unsatisfactory as determined by the Department of City Civil Service. Forgery, misrepresentation of facts, or cheating on examinations is punishable by disqualification, fine and other penalties.
IMPORTANT: Applicants who are licensed to drive should have a current license on their person for purposes of identification during all phases of an examination. In lieu of such license, the Department of City Civil Service may require that applicants have some form of picture identification.
VETERANS PREFERENCE: On original entrance examinations, veterans (as defined in Article X, Section 10(2) of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana), disabled veterans, certain spouses and parents of veterans shall receive additional credit if claimed as provided on the Veterans Preference claim form which can be obtained in this office. To obtain credit, this form must be submitted with the required proof (at the minimum, a DD214) before the final filing date.
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA (GED) must be issued by a state Department of Education or an institution recognized by a state Department of Education. Certificates of completion, high school diplomas and GED from institutions not recognized by a state Department of Education, and high school diplomas from foreign countries are not acceptable.
ACCREDITED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: An accredited college or university is an institution that is accredited as a college or university by an organization that is recognized by the USDE (United States Department of Education). College diplomas from foreign countries will be accepted if the applicant submits a statement of educational equivalency from one of the evaluation services accepted by the Department of Civil Service. A list of the accepted evaluation services can be found on the National Association of Credential Evacuation Services (NACES) website (www.naces.org).
EXPERIENCE:
Applicants will not receive credit for unpaid work unless specified on the job announcement.
Partial credit only will be given for related part time employment.
Civil Service reserves the right to determine which degrees, education, or other credentials are related or closely related.
Experience credit will be granted for related provisional appointments (internal applicants).

PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE: The Civil Service Department defines this experience as experience gained in a position that required a Bachelor's Degree upon entrance.
OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT OR PROMOTION:
Prior to appointment, the hiring agency is required to verify education, driver's license, and/or professional licenses/certifications claimed by the applicant to qualify for this classification. If selected for hire, applicants must provide original documents of their qualifying credentials to the hiring agency prior to their start date in this job classification.
Offers of employment or promotion are required to be withdrawn for applicants who are found to have misrepresented their credentials during the application process.
Revised 1/91, 4/03, 7/05, 2/07, 8/10, 2/12, 8/15, 6/16, 1/17, 1/19, 2/23, 8/23.

Employment Type: Probationary