North Whidbey Fire and Rescue

PURPOSE: The purpose of the U.S. Department of Defense Skillbridge internship program is to prepare, qualify, and certify active-duty military service members for a career as a civilian firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician during the last 180 days of their military enlistment. Skillbridge participants can earn mandatory firefighter or EMS certifications (depending on their start date) while working as a North Whidbey Fire & Rescue intern. Skillbridge interns will also gain valuable real-world job experience through daily fire station routine, crew communication, ambulance transport, emergency call response, as well as civil service testing process and interview skills

ABOUT THE JOB

STRUCTURE: Skillbridge interns will be assigned a duty shift and will follow a daily schedule of expectations and responsibilities. Directives, assignments, details, and emergency calls shall have priority over the daily schedule. SUPERVISION: Skillbridge interns will report to the Full-Time duty shift firefighter for daily non-emergency work assignments, feedback, coaching and counseling. Prior to Washington State EMT certification, Skillbridge interns shall not provide direct patient care on any EMS call. Skillbridge interns working on the Aid Unit (WhidbeyHealth ambulance) may provide support needs under the direction of the Full-Time duty shift officer. The Officer-In-Charge of all Skillbridge interns will be the Training Captain. Organizational Chain-of-Command and Incident Command models will be followed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Follow a daily schedule of expectations and responsibilities.
• Participate in daily fire station routine, crew communication, ambulance transport, emergency call response.
• Assist with public relations, fire prevention, community risk reduction activities, fire station and apparatus maintenance.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Active-duty military service members in the last 180 days of their military enlistment.
• Participants must not provide direct patient care on any EMS call prior to Washington State EMT certification.

BENEFITS

• Earn mandatory firefighter or EMS certifications.
• Gain real-world job experience.
• Receive training through self-study, online courses, regional academies, and in-house qualification classes.

OTHER

TRAINING & EDUCATION PROVIDED: The training and education provided to Skillbridge interns by North Whidbey Fire & Rescue will be a combination of self-study, online courses, regional academies, and in-house (on-site) qualification classes. OTHER DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Although not a primary objective of the program, Skillbridge interns will participate with and assist the Duty Crew in accomplishment of other miscellaneous tasks and assignments, such as area familiarization and response challenges; public relations, fire prevention and community risk reduction activities; fire station and apparatus maintenance; and other logistic and administrative needs as directed.DOCUMENTATION: Both the Training Captain and the Full-Time Duty crewmember will be responsible for all necessary documentation of individual Skillbridge interns, including daily observation journals, training drills, Skill Sheets, Qualification Books, Performance Improvement Plans, and progressive discipline reports.