ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF: OPERATIONS chez Town of Chapel Hill, NC

About the Department

The purpose of this position is to manage, lead, guide, and ensure that all personnel are ready and equipped to respond to and mitigate all emergency incidents. This is accomplished by working with the Assistant Chief of Training and Professional Development, Management Analyst, Deputy Chief, and Fire Chief.

This classification has been designated as Safety Sensitive and is subject to random drug and alcohol testing.

This position is driving essential and must conform to the requirements of the Town's Accident and Safe Driving procedures. 

Position Duties

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. This employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Administer department policies and procedures for the management of instructional resources, staff, facilities, records, and reports. 
• Review departmental injury reports, accident reports, and other safety concerns. Make recommendations to reduce injuries and accidents to improve safety.
• Participates in fire suppression, fire prevention, emergency medical services, technical rescues, training, and disaster preparedness program services and activities.
• Responds to emergency incidents as required by departmental policy.
• Provides pre-hospital care in accordance with departmental and Orange County policies; protects the privacy of all patient information in accordance with departmental policies and state statutes.
• Participates in ongoing firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical training; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of fire prevention, suppression, training, and management.
• Conducts public information/education classes related to the fire service.
• Formulate all budget needs to identify and document the resources required to meet divisional goals.
• Represent the department at various events such as council meetings, parades, open houses, recruiting events, etc.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with external and internal stakeholders, including town employees, elected officials, and partners.
• Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Serve as the department’s incident commander at major incidents.
• Interpret response data and make decisions to improve performance and response.
• Model the values of RESPECT.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to apply the Town’s and Department’s core values to daily performance.
• Advanced knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Advanced knowledge of fire ground tactics and strategy, the Incident Command System (ICS), principles of incident safety, hazardous materials incident management techniques, technical rescue techniques, and emergency medical practices.
• Advanced knowledge of fire science theory, principles, and practices and their application to a wide variety of emergency service operations, including emergency medical care, fire suppression, fire prevention, and fire investigation; operational characteristics of fire apparatus and equipment, including emergency driving techniques; safe fire apparatus operation; fire prevention principles, methods, and practices.
• Advance knowledge of the principles and theories of learning. 
• Working knowledge of the NC Fire Suppression Rating Schedule and processes.
• Working knowledge of apparatus procurement, specifications, and associated processes.
• General knowledge of the geography and street layout of the service districts and surrounding areas. 
• General knowledge of computer software systems and system applications.
• Ability to perform in dynamic, highly stressful situations.
• Ability to react quickly and calmly in all types of emergency and departmental scenarios.
• Ability to analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of proposed actions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, medical personnel, law enforcement, and the general public.

Physical Requirements

This work requires regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, walking, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, lifting, and repetitive motions; frequently requires sitting, smelling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm’s length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work regularly requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to bloodborne pathogens, and exposure to fumes or airborne particles; work occasionally requires exposure to wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working in high, precarious places, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to extreme heat (non-weather), exposure to the risk of electrical shock, working with explosives, exposure to vibration, and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. grounds maintenance, heavy traffic).

Education and Certifications 

• Educational Requirements
  • Desired – A bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field.
• Minimum Qualifications
  • A minimum of 10 years of progressive fire service experience. And at least one year at the rank of Battalion Chief.
• Certification/Professional Development Requirements
  • NC Firefighter Certification
  • NCOEMS Certification
  • NIM 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800
  • NC HazMat Awareness/Operations
    • Preferred:
      • CPSE Designation – CFO
      • NFA Designation – Executive Fire Officer
      • NC Fire Officer Certification(s)

• Class C Driver’s License