DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL

General Statement of Duties

Performs responsible technical work in fire inspection, prevention, education and investigation services for the County.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

An employee in this class performs varied tasks to include fire code enforcement and inspections, technical consultation with fire departments, fire investigations, public education, plan reviews, and responding to natural and man-made emergency situations. Plan review of all commercial properties in accordance of NC Fire Prevention Code, promoting fire prevention/education and fire safety awareness, investigating fires involving death, injury or having a questionable nature, and Emergency Management functions. Other responsibilities include acting as liaison with industries on compliance with regulations on potential environmental and fire hazards. Duties also include participating in emergency response activities in the event of man-made and natural disasters. Work is performed independently within the framework of departmental policy. Considerable tact, courtesy and firmness are required in public contacts in explaining and enforcing pertinent laws and codes. Work involves establishing and maintaining records and reports and requires exercising independent judgment and initiative, analytical skills, and extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local policies and regulations in fire codes and hazardous materials management. Decisions must be made quickly and accurately in emergency situations and communicated in a tactful and diplomatic manner when dealing with the public. Work schedule consists of a 40-hour week with on-call duty as deemed appropriate, the hours are Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm. The employee is subject to hazards associated with fire inspection, investigation, firefighting and hazardous materials and emergency management work, and to working in both inside and outside environments, in extreme hot and cold weather, and exposure to high heat, chemicals, and in the proximity to moving mechanical parts, electrical current, and working in high places. Employee is also subject to exposure to atmospheric conditions and bloodborne pathogens, and is sometimes required to wear a respirator, and may be required to work in close quarters. Work is performed under the general direction of the Fire Marshal and is evaluated through conferences, reports and feedback on services and emergency coordination.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Tasks

• Conducts fire safety inspections of existing commercial and industrial establishments, schools, foster homes, rest homes, etc., to determine existence of fire hazards, efficiency of fire protection equipment (such as sprinkler systems) and general compliance with appropriate codes and fire prevention standards; investigates complaints of fire safety hazards; compiles data and orders actions to comply with codes and ordinances, as applicable; issues citations for violations of state and County fire codes; advises business and property owners of action necessary to resolve violations.
• Reviews commercial building plans for the County and other municipalities to ensure compliance with state and county building codes; conducts technical inspections of new construction or building modifications in the County and for municipalities to check conformance with state, federal and County fire codes.
• Conducts fire and life safety inspections on educational, institutional, mercantile, business, storage, hazardous, assembly, industrial and residential occupancies as required for compliance with the state building codes and local ordinances.
• Conducts investigations of suspicious fires to determine cause and origin; questions witnesses or suspects; prepares documentation of investigative action for presentation in criminal or civil court; testifies in court, as necessary.
• Conducts public education classes on fire prevention and safety for the public, businesses, schools and other emergency responders.
• Performs various clerical and administrative duties associated with preparing and maintaining technical records and reports connected to fire inspections, including entering requests into computerized database, and preparing fire inspection reports to document activities and results of each inspection.
• Responds to emergency incidents to provide technical assistance to the incident commander; prepares and maintains Hazardous Material reports for local businesses and industries.

Additional Job Duties

• Assists local fire departments with emergency response including fire suppression and search and rescue efforts.
• May respond to on-call duties including holidays, nights and weekends.
• Performs related duties as required.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines

Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, regulations, principles and modern practices and processes pertaining to fire inspections, emergency evacuation planning, fire investigations and prevention, and hazardous materials handling, storage and reporting.
• Considerable knowledge of firefighting principles and procedures, fire association and state fire protection and prevention codes, standards, and guides.
• Considerable knowledge of chemicals and chemical hazards, methods of control and mitigation of chemical releases, laws and ordinances
• Considerable knowledge of fire prevention and public education programs.
• Considerable knowledge of building construction and systems, fire sprinkler and standpipe systems.
• Considerable knowledge of arson investigation techniques and related laws.
• Considerable knowledge of fire department operations and organizational structures.
• Skills in investigating fires and utilizing modern evidence gathering and detailed documentation of findings.
• Ability to respond to emergency situations and to organize, coordinate, and supervise multiple resources and match resources with requests.
• Ability to recognize and define fire hazards and to recommend remedial action.
• Ability to interpret and enforce regulations firmly, impartially, and tactfully.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fire departments, emergency services agencies, schools, business and industry officials, other employees and the general public.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written forms; to prepare and submit clear and detailed reports.
• Ability to react quickly, effectively, and professionally in emergency situations and major disasters and to use sound judgment and determine best options.
• Ability to interpret, explain, and apply laws, policies, procedures and regulations during specific emergency situations and in daily operations.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, feeling, grasping, talking, and hearing.
• Must be able to perform very heavy work exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data, for extensive reading and work with figures; to operate a computer, to inspect fire sites, to use measuring devices, to operate a motor vehicle; and to determine accuracy and neatness of work.

Desired Education and Experience

Associate’s degree in Fire Science or related field with additional training in fire inspections and prevention and considerable experience in the fire service, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver’s license.
• Possession of Fire Fighter Level I & II
• Possession of Level 1 Fire Inspector Standard or Probationary
• Possession of EMT Basic Certification
• Possession of within reasonable period after appointment to position:
• State Level III Fire Inspector Certification
• NC Fire Investigation Technician Certification
• NC Fire Arson Investigator Certification
• Possession of NC Emergency Medical Technician certification
• Possession of NC Level II Fire Instructor certification.
• Possession of NC Fire & Life Safety Educator certification.
• Level I Hazardous Materials Certification

Special Note: This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions, and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job questionnaire with a physical abilities checklist which can give further details about that one specific position. Those documents should be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal and defensible personnel decisions.