CLASS SPECIFICATION
CLASS TITLE: DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF
DEFINITION:
Under administrative direction, plans, organizes and directs department operations and activities; serves as a member of the department’s management team; manages and supervises staff; coordinates assigned activities with other City departments, divisions and outside agencies; performs related duties as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
Reporting to the Fire Chief, this management position is responsible to manage the operations of assigned programs through subordinate supervisors. Responsibilities include developing and implementing comprehensive department programs upon assignment. Responsibilities include the direct and indirect supervision of management, technical and support personnel. The Deputy Fire Chief is also responsible for assisting in the development and control of department and division budgets and may act for the Fire Chief in their absence.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
Depending upon assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
Plans, organizes, directs, and supervises Fire Department work and activities; assists in developing and implementing department and division goals, priorities, policies and procedures; directs and coordinates through subordinate supervisorial personnel activities of the department to obtain maximum use of equipment, facilities and personnel. Assists in the development of the budget for the department in assigned areas of responsibility; reviews and analyzes expenditures, budget and operations reports to determine requirements for costs savings or efficiency improvements; recommends capital expenditures for acquisition of new equipment which would increase efficiency in services of the division.
Directs, supervises, and monitors assigned supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical staff, either directly or through subordinates; selects, assigns, monitors, and evaluates work performance; interprets City policies and procedures to employees; establishes work procedures and/or standards and ensures safe working practices; provides training and guidance; administers personnel policies. Evaluates work behaviors and products to ensure desired staff performance levels are maintained, processes personnel actions as appropriate. Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of fire department operations and service delivery methods and procedures; assesses workloads, work flow, administrative processes and support systems to identify opportunities for improvement and reviews with the Fire Chief; conducts a variety of organizational and operational studies and investigations, and develops or recommends modifications to programs, policies and procedures as appropriate; identifies operational problems and implements appropriate solutions. Represents the City in meetings with representatives of governmental agencies, business, and community organizations and the public; investigates and directs response to public
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complaints relating to responsibilities; handles difficult complaints and inquiries; confers with other City departments in the resolution of related issues. Assumes command of Fire Department emergency operations according to department policy and operates Department vehicles, apparatus and equipment as needed; serves as City representative on inter-agency and intergovernmental working groups; coordinates section activities with other City departments to ensure efficient and effective operations. Advises developers and the public regarding complex applications and processes; serves as technical advisor to the Fire Chief and other City staff, advisory bodies and the City Council on fire suppression and/or fire prevention and other technical areas related to assignments. Advises, consults, and assists in the development, adoption, implementation and enforcement of codes, ordinances and similar fire and life safety regulations. Prepares a variety of written communications, including analytical reports and correspondence; drafts requests for proposals and agreements with consultants and reviews and administers various professional support contracts. Performs related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Knowledge of:
Principles, practices and policies of fire operations; Applicable laws and regulations pertaining to emergency services; The principles and practices of local government administration including employee supervision, training and appraisal;
Budget preparation and control;
Analysis and report writing;
Computer applications related to the work;
Fire apparatus, equipment, tools, devices, facilities and their proper utilization, maintenance requirements and methods;
Methods of equipment procurement and maintenance.
Ability to:
Plan, organize and supervise the work involved in emergency services and/or fire prevention; Understand, interpret and explain applicable regulations and policies governing assigned programs;
Deal tactfully and courteously with the public;
Prepare related reports, records and correspondence;
Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships; Conduct and/or coordinate related studies and recommend methods of action; Research, analyze and summarize data both manually and with computer applications; Make persuasive presentations of ideas and recommendations; Exercise sound independent judgment within established guidelines; Represent the City with others contacted in the course of the work; Determine and evaluate levels of performance of employees, effectively delegate responsibility to others.
Education/Experience:
Any combination of education, experience, and training that would provide the best qualified candidates. A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:
Possession of the equivalent of a of bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in fire science, fire administration, public administration or a closely related field is required.
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Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in emergency services including at least one year experience as a Battalion Chief or equivalent position at time of appointment.
Special Requirements:
Possession at time of hire and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver’s license is required. Certification as a Chief Fire Officer by the California State Fire Marshal is required.
Bargaining Unit: NCFO
FLSA Status: Exempt
Established: April 1992
Amended: September 2017,TBD
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CLASS SPECIFICATION
CLASS TITLE: SENIOR FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTOR
DEFINITION:
Under general direction performs the full array of fire plan review, construction inspections and fire prevention duties for residential, commercial, and industrial structures, including the issuance of permits, and the enforcement of applicable codes, standards, and ordinances. Assists in providing direction and training to lower-level positions and serve as a technical resource for assigned staff.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
The Fire Prevention Inspector III is the advanced -journey level class within the Fire Prevention Inspector series in which incumbents independently perform plan checking assignments, draft and issue related fire plan check comment correspondence as well as conduct more complex fire inspections and enforcement related prevention duties.
This class is distinguished from the next lower classification of Fire Inspector II in that this class provides lead supervision and direction and/or acts as team leader for assigned personnel and/or contractors. This job class requires excellent technical skills, as well as communications and organizational skill sets. General supervision is provided by a Fire Marshal or their designee.
Additionally, incumbents may be required to assist in and conduct investigations into the cause and origin of fires and explosions. Work may be performed individually or as a member of a fire investigation team. Investigations are conducted during non-emergency phases of incidents when environmental conditions are determined to be non-hazardous.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Plan, organize and perform the full array of fire inspection and prevention duties for residential, commercial and industrial structures, including plan checking, the issuance of permits and the enforcement of applicable codes, standards and ordinances; inspect and confirm that required maintenance, testing and acceptance testing of fire protection systems has been conducted; educate the public in fire prevention;
• Oversee, organize, and perform on -site inspections of required fire protection systems; schedule and inspect mandated facilities, such as schools for State fire and life safety violations; perform the complex inspections, such as high -pile storage, hazardous materials and major manufacturing in a variety of occupancies; respond to and resolve fire hazard complaints; inspect the operation of fireworks shows; issue notices of violation and pre - citations where appropriate; provide compliance recommendations; develop and approve compliance mediation measures;
• Oversee, organize, and verify that required maintenance and testing is conduct ed on fire hydrants, alarms, sprinkler systems and other related fire protection systems in accordance with approved fire protection plans; implement fire prevention and inspection plans; prepare and maintain statistical data and reports; develop and maintain Fire Department Prevention
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standards; provide and participate in developing and continuing fire prevention training programs;
• Review parcel maps and subdivision maps, as well as residential, commercial and industrial projects for fire protection system requirements; review for acceptability of parcel maps and subdivisions for fire protection measures dictated by conditions of review; review conditional use permits, rezoning applications and General Plan Amendments for applicable fire and life safety requirements; interpret and explain complex codes, standards and federal and state regulations to establish conditions of approval and mitigation measures; coordinate activities with other City departments and outside agencies;
• Interpret codes and regulations; explain required inspections and fire prevention requirements to owners, architects, engineers, contractors, and the public; advise owners on matters related to applicable permits; maintain records and files of inspections made and actions taken; • Respond to questions and concerns from the public, business, commercial and industrial property owners, and applicants; provide information as appropriate and resolve public service complaints; conduct public education and outrea ch programs, including school programs and public workshops; create promotional materials, including press releases and public service announcements;
• May assist with and/or administer special projects, such as open houses and seasonal weed abatement progra ms; coordinate specific projects, including fostering cooperative working relationships with civic groups, inter -governmental agencies, and City staff; help develop, implement, and maintain goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for assigned projects and service areas; help ensure that established goals and priorities are achieved; • Attend training courses to keep current on current codes and standards most applicable to this position;
• Provide technical assistance a t commercial or industrial emergency incidents. Performs related duties as assigned;
• Performing investigations and reviews of customer complaints and/or field problems related to fire prevention permitting and inspection activities; collecting and analyzin g all necessary data to develop and justify recommendations for appropriate course of action; meeting with interested parties to discuss implementation of recommendations; consulting with architects, engineers, contractors, and other city staff concerning pertinent fire prevention and life safety codes and regulations related to building design and construction; seeking to solve technical problems in an inclusive and positive manner;
• Other related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Knowledge of:
• Principles, practices, methods, and technologies used in plan checking, fire inspection, code enforcement, prevention and suppression efforts;
• Operational characteristics of fire safety systems, equipment, and tools; • Building construction, rating systems, exiting plans and fire department service capabilities; • Principles of building plans and specifications checking; • Standard and accepted building and fire and life safety inspection methods; • Standard and accepted building construction methods and techniques; • Legal procedures involved in escalating code enforcement as needed; • Supervisory principles and practices;
• Modern office practices, methods and equipment including use of computers, mobile devices, and applicable software packages;
• Methods and techniques of scheduling and work assignments; • Methods and techniques for record keeping, report preparation, and writing.
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Ability to:
• Understand, interpret, and apply fire prevention’s policies, operations, and procedures; • Understand and implement a variety of both oral and written instructions in an independent manner;
• Understand and explain pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes, standards, regulations, guidelines, and amendments related to assigned functions and responsibilities; • Identify problems/issues within the parameters of applicable regulations, standards and codes, independently analyze options according to established criteria, and recommend appropriate corrective action.
• Examine varied and comprehensive plans and specifications for compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, standards, regulations, guidelines, and amendments. • Read and interpret plans accurately and compare them with actual construction and repairs in progress.
• Apply knowledge of pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes, standards, regulations, guidelines and amendments to the physical evidence observed and che cked during inspection.
• Perform code and license enforcement activities.
• Communicate clearly, concisely, and tactfully in both oral and written forms. • Supervise, mentor, and train assigned staff in a positive and effective manner. • Prepare reports and keep accurate records.
• Research regulations and/or technical reference materials. • Recognize and respect limit of authority and responsibility. • Demonstrate tact and diplomacy.
• Prioritize and perform assigned work in a timely and proactive manner. • Provide courteous and positive internal and external customer service. • Perform assigned duties in a safe and effective manner for self and others. • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education, experience, and training that would provide the best qualified candidates. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:
An Associate degree from an accredited college or university with course work in fire prevention and/or other related fire service courses applicable to the responsibilities and requirements of this job class.
Two (2) years of progressively responsible work experience performing fire prevention inspections and code enforcement activities similar to the city’s Fire Prevention Inspector II.
Special Requirements:
Possession at time of hire and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver’s license is required. Completion of Fire Inspector 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, Fire Inspector 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, Plan Examiner 1A, 1B, 1C or equivalent certification courses are required.
PC 832 shall be obtained within (1) year of employment.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
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The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in both an office setting and in a reactive emergency or disaster environment; walk, stand, or sit for prolonged periods of time; occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; occasionally climb and balance; regularly push, pull, lift, and/or carry light to moderate weights; frequently lift and/or move moderate to heavy weights; occasionally lift and/or move heavy weights; operate office equipment including use of computer keyboard; requires a sense of touch, finger dexterity, and gripping with hands and fingers; ability to speak and hear to exchange information; ability to operate a vehicle to travel to various locations. Employees must possess the ability to see and hear in the normal range with or without correction.
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS:
Employees perform many assigned duties outdoors in a variety of climatic conditions including exposure to hot and cold temperatures and possible exposure to physical and/or chemical hazards. Continuous contact with contractors, builders, businesses, as well as the general public. Standard office setting with significant local travel to various locations to inspect businesses and buildings, as well as to attend meetings or respond to emergency scenes, disasters, or critical incidents; the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions and wet and/or humid conditions; occasionally works in or near construction and light industrial environments; the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; However, the employee will occasionally need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate for the hazards, including but not limited to hard hats, gloves, hearing and eye protection; incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends and may be required to travel outside City boundaries to attend meetings.
Employment Type: Full-Time Classified
Bargaining Unit: NCEA
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Established: September 2008
Amended: November 2012, TBD
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