Fire Battalion Chief

International Association-Fire Chiefs; Patterson, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Fire Battalion Chief for the City of Patterson leads planning, organization, and supervision of daily operations for the assigned division, serving as on-scene incident commander and directing emergency response for all incident types. This role requires establishing training programs, administering policies, and exercising sound judgment.

The ideal candidate demonstrates a strong command presence, excellent communication skills, and the ability to foster teamwork and trust across fire crews

Qualifications

• Must have an associate degree in fire science, administration, business or related field; bachelor’s degree desirable.
• Completion of California State Board of Fire Services Chief Fire Officer series.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, coordinate and supervise daily operations of the assigned division/shift.
• Server as on-scene incident commander and direct emergency response operations for all incident types.
• Develop, implement and monitor training activities and requirements.
• Perform administrative duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Administrative skills

Team leadership

Education

Associate degree in fire science or related field

California Chief Fire Officer courses

Job description

The Fire Battalion Chief is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and supervising the daily operations of the assigned division(s), or shift, including serving as on-scene incident commander, directing emergency response operations for all incident types, and exercising sound judgment and independent decision-making in accordance with established organizational policies and procedures.

The Fire Battalion Chief for the City of Patterson will respond to emergency incidents for both suppression and evaluation; commands the firefighting activities of fire companies in response to all emergency incidents; serves as Duty Officer for assigned shifts; performs a full range of administrative duties and tasks; develops, implements, and monitors all training activities and requirements; performs related duties as required and special projects assigned.

The ideal candidate leads by example; is a positive influencer and creates a sense of unity through a shared common vision; and by fostering trust, credibility, collaboration, and teamwork. Possesses a strong command presence with excellent verbal, written communication, listening, interpersonal and administrative skills.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in fire science, fire administration, business or public administration, or a related field; Bachelor’s degree is highly desirable. Completion of all courses of the California State Board of Fire Services Chief Fire Officer series.
• Six (6) years of increasingly responsible full-time, career fire suppression and fire prevention experience in a professionally recognized fire agency; four (4) years of Company Officer experience equivalent to that of a Fire Captain with the City of Patterson.

Tentative Recruitment Schedule:

• Assessments and Presentation - October 22, 2026
• Fire Chief's Interview - November 4, 2026

Deadline to apply: September 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM