Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Agency: Sioux City Fire Rescue (SCFR)
Position: Paramedic – EMS Only
Employment Type: Full-Time
Position Summary
Sioux City Fire Rescue (SCFR) is seeking Paramedics ready to put their licenses to work and make a meaningful impact. This position provides excellent patient care, accurate documentation, and positive community engagement through non-emergency community risk reduction activities.
- Dedicated EMS-only position
- No firefighting duties
- No out-of-town transfers
- 24 hours on duty / 48 hours off duty schedule (average 56 hours/week)
- Built-in overtime, with additional opportunities available
Why Work for Sioux City Fire Rescue?
- Sioux City Fire Rescue is a nationally accredited agency (CAAS and CFAI) delivering advanced life support transport services to roughly 87,000 residents.
- SCFR responds to approximately 10,000 EMS-related calls each year from seven strategically located stations, allowing personnel to make a meaningful impact to the community.
- The department’s deployment model ensures adequate on-scene staffing and dependable support for personnel.
- Team members respond to incidents using modern emergency vehicles equipped with the latest, state-of-the-art technologies.
- As a dedicated 911-only response agency, SCFR does not provide out-of-town medical transfers, allowing our paramedics to remain focused on serving the community with rapid, high-quality emergency care.
Primary Duties of Position
- Provide direct patient care and transport in the prehospital setting.
- Complete electronic patient care reports in alignment with accepted industry standards.
- Support non-emergency public safety efforts including illness and injury prevention activities.
Compensation
- Annual earnings first year: $79,699 (estimated)
- Entry-level base wage: $26.22 per hour
- All hours worked over 40 each week are paid at one and one-half times the base wage
- Additional overtime opportunities are available
- Potential for annual wage increases
Benefits
- Paid leave
- Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life insurance
- IPERS pension
- Optional deferred compensation program
- Uniform reimbursement
For more details on compensation and benefits, please refer to the “PATS Union / EMS” Collective Bargaining Agreement found at https://www.sioux-city.org/572/Contracts-Manuals-Salary-Schedules.
Minimum Requirements to Apply
- Be able to speak, read and write the English language.
- Be at least 18 years of age by the close of the application period.
- Possess a high school diploma, General Education Development (GED) certificate, or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED).
- Be in good physical condition and capable of participating in the physical agility test.
- Be available to have fingerprints taken.
- Meet minimum qualifications established in the position description.
- Have not been terminated by the City of Sioux City for any position within the past two years from the application closing date.
Minimum Requirements for Hire
- Successful completion of the Civil Service examination process including physical agility test, oral examination, and interview.
- Proof of a current National Registry or State of Iowa Paramedic certification.
- Once a conditional offer is extended, candidate must successfully complete all pre-employment exams which include a background check, psychological assessment, medical exam, and drug and alcohol testing.
- Candidates certified through National Registry but not yet by the State of Iowa must submit proof of reciprocity application within one week of a conditional offer and obtain Iowa certification before the candidate’s official start date.
Residency Requirement
All City employees must live within thirty (30) miles of Sioux City’s city limits or meet this requirement within 180 days of hire.
Additional Information
A video overview of the EPAT physical agility test is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dbNEeRdEe0.
- Responsible for oversight of all emergency medical treatment provided.
- Provides emergency medical treatment, including, but not limited to, initiate and maintain IV access and medication infusion, operate complex electronic monitoring, provide medical intervention including pulse oximetry, cardiac monitor/defibrillator and glucometer.
- Performs physical examination including interviewing patient for medical history; performs ongoing assessment and reassessment of patient; recognizes need for advanced medical intervention.
- Provides emergency medical treatment as per scope of practice, state law, procedures, and medical direction.
- Provides accurate medical documentation of all EMS calls and treatment provided and ensures documentation is sent to the appropriate receiving hospital.
- Reports verbally and in writing, observations and medical care of the patient. Provides accurate medical documentation, in a timely manner, of all emergency medical treatment provided.
- Maintains compliance with HIPPA standards and patient confidentiality.
- Knowledgeable and compliant with all SCFR procedures including SCFR safety and infection control procedures.
- Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with officials, other agencies, fellow employees, and the general public.
- Responsible for station duties and assigned community outreach, including EMS coverage at events.
- Ensures maintenance, cleanliness and readiness of ambulance, equipment, inventory and station. Notifies supervisor of any issues with equipment, vehicles, and calls.
- Serves as a field trainer/preceptor for EMT students
- Attend and participates in required department training.
- Serves on City or Department advisory committees.
- Act as Lead Medic as required.
- Maintains regular and punctual attendance and working hours. Scheduled shifts may include 24, 12, 8, or other shifts as assigned
- Expected to temporarily perform duties outside of normal classification in the event of a declared emergency. In the event that an employee is excused from work other than being sick, they will be required to report to work in a state of declared emergency.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Cognitive Demands, Skills and Abilities
Ability to speak clearly so others can understand you, ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer), ability to see details at a distance, ability to identify and understand the speech of another person, ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Ability to handle confidential information and situations in a sensitive manner.
Ability to take initiative. Effective oral and written communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to work efficiently and safely with little direct supervision.
Problem-solving abilities. Accurate math skills. Ability to concentrate in a diverse work setting. Sound judgement and decision-making abilities. Ability to drive safely in all road and weather conditions. Ability to perform advanced medical procedures within scope of practice to include invasive procedures, in stressful situations. Ability to provide training. Ability to act as Lead Medic on a shift, given appropriate training and experience.
Job Knowledge
General knowledge of EMS equipment and ambulance maintenance. General knowledge of office equipment. Infectious disease. Proficiency with computer software and applications.
Language Ability and Interpersonal Communication
Requires effective communication skills and the ability to aid employees, and the public. Requires the ability to speak clearly, distinctly and effectively with fellow employees; read in English and compare similarities and differences between words and series of numbers; apply common sense understanding tothe work process, procedures, programs and services; and to provide and follow verbal and written instructions.
Physical requirements
Ability to lift, carry, push, pull greater than 100 pounds. Ability to work in the environments outlined below. Moderate periods of sitting. Intermittent climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, handling, feeling, and smelling.
Work Environment
Moderate exposure to weather, extreme heat/cold, wet and or humid conditions, noise intensive levels, darkness/poor lighting, confined spaces, dirt/dust, and other adverse environmental conditions. Use of protective equipment to include but not limited to eye wear, gloves, reflective vest, helmets and respiratory protection. Exposure to violent behavior or combative patients, traffic hazards, electrical and fire hazards and communicable diseases.
Must be able to obtain and possess a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s License by employment start date. Must be eligible to obtain an Iowa Paramedic Certification prior to date of hire. Must possess or obtain an American Heart Association (AHA) PALS within two (2) weeks from date of hire.
Paramedic:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- High School diploma or equivalent
- Possess current Iowa Paramedic Certification
- Possess current American Heart Association (AHA) ACLS
Or
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- High School diploma or equivalent
- Possess current National Registry Paramedic Certification
- Possess current American Heart Association (AHA) ACLS
Or
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- High school diploma or equivalent and,
- Must possess a current EMT certification and,
- Must be enrolled in a paramedic program and,
- Must have completed and possess a current AHA ACLS Certification
Preferred:
- 1-3 years of clinical experience in emergency car
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS)
- Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)
- EMS-related Instructor Certifications