Assistant Fire Marshal

City of Hendersonville, NC; Hendersonville (NC); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Hendersonville, NC in the Life Safety Division seeks a paraprofessional to assist with inspections, prevention education, and fire investigations. You will report to the Fire Marshal and support planning, coordination, and training activities.

The role emphasizes conducting inspections for fire hazards, promoting fire safety awareness, and assisting with investigations involving fires, injuries, or deaths, with field documentation and coordination with agencies.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in fire science or related field.
• Four years of experience in fire inspections, prevention, suppression or investigations.
• Two years as a Fire Code Official or equivalent.
• Valid Class B driver’s license at hire.
• IFSAC/Pro-Board certifications: Hazmat Ops; EVDC; Fire & Life Safety Educator II within one year.

Responsibilities

• Assists with coordinating fire prevention programs and enforces the fire prevention code.
• Conducts fire inspections of commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings.
• Enforces NFPA and state/fire codes; discusses findings with agencies.
• Investigates fires and assists in documenting findings and evidence.
• Provides fire prevention education and conducts public/civic presentations.
• Responds to emergencies and supports departmental training.

Skills

Public speaking

Communication

Fire prevention knowledge

Investigation skills

Hazard assessment

Education

Associate’s degree in fire science

Four years’ experience in fire inspections

Two years as Fire Code Official

Job description

This position Ends Friday 10/16 at 5pm – Hiring Process Wednesday, 10/28

Responsible for performing paraprofessional and technical work providing assistance conducting inspections and providing fire prevention education and fire safety awareness for the Life Safety Division of the City’s Fire Department.

An employee in this class provides assistance in the planning and coordinating the activities of the City’s Life Safety Division including investigation and code compliance inspection, fire prevention and staff training. Emphasis of the work is on participating in the inspections of buildings for fire hazards, promoting fire prevention/education and fire safety awareness as well as investigating fires, including those involving death, injury or having questionable nature. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Fire Marshal and is evaluated based on attainment of individual and department goals and objectives, periodic conferences, activity reports, feedback from employees, other agencies, and public support.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Assists with coordinating fire prevention programs; enforces the fire prevention code; and investigates causes of fires.
• Helps coordinate fire prevention activities including inspections.
• Conducts fire inspections of commercial, institutional, industrial buildings and occupancies; and enforces the rules and regulations included within the North Carolina State Building Code and Fire Prevention Code.
• Discusses findings and recommendations with other city or state agencies as appropriate; and confers with code compliance officials on building code enforcement operations affecting fire safety.
• Enforces fire and other related codes and standards by informing and advising of required corrective actions; issues notices of code violations; conducts follow-up inspections to ensure corrective action is taken.
• Assists investigations to include suspicious or accidental fires, environmental crimes, hazardous materials incidents and fire-related injuries and death to determine cause and origin of fire.
• Assists in documentation of field observations including photos of fire scene, interviewing witnesses, suspects, and complainants.
• Assists with the collection and preservation of materials and evidence; assists in maintaining chain of custody.
• Conducts presentations to various groups including schools, civic, business and other organizations concerning fire prevention, education and other related technical matters.
• Conducts fire education and training with the general public.
• Occasionally provides job-related training at the Police and Fire Academies, auxiliary classes,and in-service training.
• Reviews building plans for compliance with applicable fire codes.
• Interprets fire and building codes in response to inquiries from architects, engineers, contractors and the general public.
• Updates and evaluates hazardous materials files for all reporting industries.
• Assists in maintaining resource files for logistical support.
• Responds to emergency incidents to render necessary assistance and guidance.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Associate’s degree in fire science or related field; four (4) years’ experience in fire inspections, prevention, suppression or investigations; and two (2) years as a Fire Code Official or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Qualifications:

• Possession of a valid Class B driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.

The following requirements must be IFSAC or Pro-Board certifications:

• Certification at Hazmat Operations Level
• Emergency Vehicle Driver Certification
• Fire & Life Safety Educator Level II (within one year of hire date)

Additional requirements:

• NIMS 100, 200, 700 and 800
• NC Emergency Medical Technician EMT-Basic (or National Registry)
• NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Certified Technician

Preferred:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the methods, standards, practices, strategies, techniques and tactics used in fire prevention methods, fire suppression, fire service training, fire cause determination and arson investigation.
• Knowledge of the modern investigation methods and techniques used to determine the cause of fires.
• Knowledge of standard fire prevention codes, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and federal, state, and departmental standards, rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of techniques for handling hazardous materials.
• Knowledge of the City’s geography, street and building locations.
• Skills in public speaking and public relations.
• Skills in operating emergency vehicles and in the use of firefighting equipment, fire apparatus, radios or other communications equipment.
• Ability to effectively use computer programs, software and other office equipment necessary to perform job duties.
• Ability to enforce National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and federal, state fire codes with firmness and fairness.
• Ability to lead and inspire calm control in emergency conditions.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to persuasively and effectively deal with property owners, managers and the general public to eliminate and prevent fire hazards and to stimulate interest and cooperation in fire prevention activities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other agency officials, employees, architects, professional engineers, contractors, homeowners, business owners, children in schools/daycares, and the general public.
• Ability to work some nights and weekends and on-call requirements.

Physical Demands

Work in this classification is defined as heavy work requiring the physical exertion of up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demands require climbing, crouching, crawling, standing, walking and lifting. Vocal communication is required for responding to inquiries, expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels. Visual acuity is required for extensive reading, to prepare and analyze written or computer data, determine the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observe general surroundings and activities.

Work is primarily performed in both inside and outside environmental conditions, subject to noise and other workplace hazards including a variety of physical conditions such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places, exposure to extreme heat and cold, or exposure to chemicals or contact with potentially infectious bodily fluids and be able to function in narrow aisles or passageways. The employee will also be subjected to the potential for varied atmospheric conditions that affect the respiratory system of the skin such as fumes, odors, mists, gases, or poor ventilation and the employee may be required to wear a respirator.