HomeMy WebLinkAboutGVII_Fire Chief_2015Beaumont Fire/Rescue Services
Detailed Job Description
Grade: n/a
Position: Fire Chief
Section: Command
Assignment: Department Head
Reports to: City Manager
FLSA Status: Exempt
Distinguishing Features:
This position exists to direct and manage all fire, rescue, hazardous materials and other
emergency management -related activities of the City. The Fire Chief—Department Head is responsible,
through study and consultation with City officials, for developing recommendations for the protection of
life and property within the City. Administrative duties include planning, directing, and controlling
departmental activities including recruitment of personnel, purchase of equipment, control of
expenditures, preparation of budget estimates, and the assignment of personnel and equipment. Work in
the position requires a vast amount of managerial knowledge, effective teamwork, and independent
decision-making. The Fire Chief—Department Head consults with the City Manager on problems related
to policy and planning, but works independently in supervising technical operations. Performance is
evaluated on the basis of the demonstrated achievement of excellence in service line outcomes.
Competencies:
Competencies are a set of identified behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that directly and
positively impact the success of employees and the organization. Competencies can be observed and
measured. When consistently demonstrated, competencies make employees particularly effective in their
work. Competencies help lay out a roadmap to career success. Beaumont Fire/Rescue Services'
established competencies for all positions include:
• Understanding our Business
• Achieving Technical and Functional Expertise
• Serving our Customers
• Getting Results
• Working as a Team
• Exhibiting Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Demonstrating Leadership and Personal Effectiveness
Position Essential Job Functions:
• Direct and control department operations–
Directing and overseeing the overall delivery of services and associated
department activities;
• Planning, implementing, reviewing, and recommending goals, objectives, plans,
and programs for the department;
• Directing the preparation of the annual department budget and controlling
expenditures;
• Directing long range planning and budget considerations and development for the
department;
• Developing general policies for the administration of the department;
• Establishing operational standards for the department;
• Directing the administrative functions including planning, personnel
administration, equipment purchasing, and the allocation of resources;
• Developing recommendations for the protection of life and property within the
City;
• Consulting with the City Manger and his/her staff, and department heads on
problems relating to the department's areas of service;
• Directing the development of systems, policies, and procedures aimed at
coordinating, controlling and maintaining consistency in department services;
• Directing the dissemination, interpretation and application of policies and
approving exceptions;
• Evaluating needs and making recommendations for construction of fire stations
and the purchase of apparatus and equipment;
• Directing the development of comprehensive programs aimed at meeting
customer expectations of the department, and promoting efficiency and
effectiveness;
• Developing systems to ensure compliance with all governmental and
departmental regulations;
• Constructively critiquing operations and directing the development of
corresponding system-wide procedures and training programs to improve
operational performance;
• Providing management to subordinates through consultation, supervision, and
liaison activities;
• Enforcing health and safety mandates and department policies and procedures;
• Providing leadership, counseling, coaching, and training to personnel;
• Providing feedback to subordinates on performance;
• Rewarding and recognizing individuals and crews;
• Disciplining individuals and crews;
• Building effective teams so that high crew performance and morale levels are
established and maintained;
• Ensuring department policies and procedures are followed and that crews model
a professional image;
• Managing special projects, as required.
Coordinate and control emergency response operations by operating within the Incident
Management System and department standard operating
guidelines—Gathering pertinent information;
• Applying the Risk Management Model to strategic and tactical situations;
• Confirming arrival and appropriate benchmarks and details of situation with the
communications center;
• Ensuring the type and number of apparatus, equipment, and personnel responding
will effectively and safely mitigate the situation;
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• Ensuring a system of accountability is established for all personnel working
within the hazard zone;
• Documenting the progress and evolution of the situation within the prescribed
system;
• Maintaining and coordinating communications under a systematic and sequential
plan;
• Initiating, coordinating, and controlling mutual aid response and implementation
of emergency management plans on the emergency scene;
• Minimizing the loss of life and property in controlling the situation;
• Organizing and conducting post incident analysis and debriefings.
Evaluate status of department equipment, apparatus, and stations—
Assessing status of department equipment, apparatus, and stations by reviewing
documentation of regularly scheduled inspections and reports;
• Enforcing safety legislation and recommending repair or replacement or purchase
of new equipment or apparatus so that it is in a condition that allows it to perform
to its design function;
• Ensuring department equipment operates properly and safely, and that the fire
station is clean, accessible, and functional.
Maintain professional currency—
Remaining current with new legislation and regulation affecting department
operations;
• Participating in-service training activities;
• Reviewing professional publications and web -sites for current developments,
procedures, and techniques;
• Attending courses, seminars, and workshops to recommend and implement
improvements to operations;
• Participating in professional associations to interact and network with peers and
provide opportunities for improvements to operations;
• Participating in staff meetings to keep others up-to-date by providing input
relative to current and improved emergency services operations;
• Developing a network of professional contacts with other emergency services
organizations so that information regarding programs, procedures, and techniques
are shared and peer support is provided.
Perform public education and information activities—
Providing public assistance;
• Making presentations;
• Participating in special activities;
• Projecting a professional image to enhance the public's perception of the
department and emergency services;
• Resolving problems or questions referred by staff, department or City
administrators or employees, City Council persons, or the public.
Participate in physical fitness activities to maintain physical conditioning.
Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times,
streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide seamless
customer service.
Direct, manage, coordinate and liaison effectively with others to achieve effectiveness
and efficiency in all operations, support and administrative programs.
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Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of...
• Current industry standards and best practices of progressive emergency services
organizations;
• The geographical layout of the City of Beaumont, street names and numbers, and hydrant
locations;
• The operation and maintenance of various types of apparatus and equipment used by the
department;
• Generally accepted and department -specific practices, techniques, methods, instruments,
and equipment;
• The laws, regulations, policies, and procedures relevant to emergency services response
activities;
• Organizational philosophy and ethical policies that direct all managers in the discharge of
their duties;
• Business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation,
human resources modeling, leadership technique, and coordination of people and
resources;
• Accepted management and supervision processes and techniques;
• Principles and procedures of developing and implementing training programs;
• Structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of
words, rules of composition, and grammar;
• Human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and
interests; learning and motivation.
Skill at...
• Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for
the j ob;
• Making quick and accurate assessments of emergency situations, and determining
appropriate mitigation actions;
• Using logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions,
conclusions, or approaches to problems;
• Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate
options and implement solutions;
• Determining how a system should work, and how changes in conditions, operations, and
the environment will affect outcomes;
• Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions or situational requirements;
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, as appropriate for the needs of the
audience;
• Giving full attention to what people are saying, taking time to understand the points being
made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Ability to...
• Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense;
• Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a
relationship among seemingly unrelated events);
• Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong— recognize potential problems;
• Shift back and forth between two more activities or sources of information— multi -task;
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• Maintain control under extremely stressful conditions;
• Make life and death decisions during emergency situations;
• Within accepted safety practices, rely on sense of sight, hearing, touch, and smell to help
determine the nature of an emergency and make operational decisions;
• Work for long periods of time, requiring intense concentration;
• Work in a variety of weather conditions with exposure to outdoor elements;
• Travel across wet, slippery, rough, uneven or rocky surfaces;
• Learnjob-related material through structured lecture, reading, and computer-based
instruction, through oral instruction and observation, and through hands-on activities;
• Instruct, train, and develop employees in emergency services related disciplines;
• Communicate ideas orally and in writing in the English language so that others will
understand;
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions in the English language;
• Comprehend and make inferences from written material in the English language;
• Produce written documents with clearly organized thoughts using proper English
sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar;
• Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a rule or specific set of
rules (e.g. logic or mathematical operations);
• Gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions, and present findings and
recommendations;
• Work cooperatively with other City employees and the public;
• Continue to learn new technical and management methods to improve effectiveness and
efficiency of operations;
• Exercise a high degree of self-discipline;
• Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others;
• Work safely without presenting a direct threat to self or others.
Additional Requirements:
• Some positions require the use of City vehicles on City business. Individuals must be
physically capable of operating the vehicles safely, possess a valid Class B driver's
license, and have an acceptable driving record.
Minimum Acceptable Experience, Training, and Certification:
• Attainment of Grade IV — District Chief rank, or equivalent, prior to appointment.
• Certified as Structure Firefighter — Advanced, by the Texas Commission on Fire
Protection.
• Certified at the Operations Level for Hazardous Materials response, by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency standard.
• Certified at Hazardous Materials Incident Commander, by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency standard.
• Certified as Fire Officer II, by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, or equivalent.
• Completion of an accredited bachelor's degree program in one of the following areas:
• Fire Protection Technology
• Emergency Medical Services
• Homeland Security
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Public or Business Administration
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Adult Education
Certifiable as Head of Department, by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, within
one year of appointment.
Preferred Experience, Training, and Certification:
• Work experience in more than one division of the department, and familiarity with all
major department functions.
• Texas Commission on Fire Protection certifications preferred:
• Structure Firefighter — Master
• Completion of an accredited master's degree program in:
• Emergency Services Administration
• Public or Business Administration
• Completion of the Executive Fire Officer Program, National Fire Academy.
• Completion of the U.S. Fire Administration's Harvard Fellowship, Program for Senior
Executives in State and Local Government.
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