Fire Chief - City of Brenham, TX

Summary

The Fire Chief is a member of the City of Brenham leadership team, and is responsible for overseeing and managing the delivery of suppression, emergency rescue operations, hazardous materials responses, and public education programs for the Brenham Fire Department. Oversees the Fire Marshal's office for fire protection and inspection of all commercial and multi-family structures.

This is an Exempt salaried position - pay rate will be determined based on qualifications. Range: $106,683 - $162,198.

Fire Chief Brochure - click here to see full job brochure

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Directs and oversees the daily functions of the Fire Department including planning, personnel career and volunteer, administration, equipment purchasing, and the allocation of resources;
• Plans, implements, and reviews departmental short and long-range goals to ensure the efficient, effective, and safe response to emergency situations;
• Develops general policies and operational standards for the department;
• Evaluates needs and makes recommendations for construction of fire stations and the purchase of apparatus and equipment;
• Responsible for the department's annual budget and strategic planning, including monitoring appropriations and expenditures;
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
• Responds to alarms and directs activities at the scene of larger fires or incidents;
• Provides support to the City Manager's office to coordinate actual or potential emergency preparedness and response efforts.
• Oversees the City's ISO rating programs to maintain or improve current designations;
• Oversees and supervises the Office of the Fire Marshal;
• Serves as Emergency Management Coordinator, including plans, organizes and directs the Emergency Management Division to accomplish shared goals and objectives;
• Coordinates department activities for disaster response;
• Maintains advanced level of preparedness of the City's Emergency Operation Plan;
• Maintains and operates the Emergency Operations Center when needed;
• Reviews state and federal proposed legislation and provides recommendations accordingly.
• Ensures training programs and emergency operations drills prepare city staff and volunteers respond quickly and effectively to emergencies;
• Establishes effective communications and information sharing on a local, county and state level;
• Advises departments on their emergency plans and coordinates interdepartmental activity in conjunction with emergency planning;
• Serving as the conduit for outside resources; develops and implements strategies to maximize resources for the City.
• Makes presentations to local groups on Fire Department activities;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and volunteers, other agencies, and the general public, and
• Consults with the City Manager, the City Manager's staff, and department heads on problems relating to firefighting, and other related services;

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises personnel, including assigning and reviewing work, training, conducting performance reviews, and assisting with execution of personnel actions such as hiring, transferring, promoting, disciplining, or dismissing employees.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelors Degree with specialized course work in fire science and administration and emergency management preferred; and at least twelve (12) years of progressively responsible experience in a career fire department with at least 3 years of management and administrative responsibility, including emergency management responsibilities. Certified Fire Executive (CFE) from the Texas Fire Chief's Academy, Executive Fire Officer (EFO) from the National Fire Academy, and Chief Fire Officer (CFO) from the Commission on Fire Accreditation preferred, or any equivalent combination of related education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Knowledge Of

Knowledge of principles, practices and techniques of modern firefighting and fire suppression and ability to apply this knowledge to varied fire control, prevention and administration issues; knowledge of principles and practices of public administration and government organization; extensive knowledge of research techniques, methods, and procedures; familiar with the National Incident Management System; ability to apply principles and practices of local, state and national emergency management; working knowledge of modern office practices and procedures; ability to effectively meet and deal with the public; ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing; must have demonstrated ability to operate effectively in stressful situations; ability to accurately identify and analyze the effects of hazards that threaten the City of Brenham; ability to interpret federal and state funding regulations as they impact the City of Brenham; skill in gathering pertinent information, making thorough analyses, and arriving at sound conclusions.

Skill/Ability To

Operate computers, including word processing and spreadsheet software; establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and the general public; develop, organize, motivate, and effectively utilize staff; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; read and interpret manuals, policies, and other documents; and operate and maintain fire suppression vehicles and equipment.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Must have a valid Texas Driver's License by date of hire. Must comply with the City of Brenham Driving Policy. Master firefighter certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP). Fire Officer III and Fire Officer IV (TCFP) certifications preferred. Must comply with the Texas Division of Emergency Management training standards as determined by the Emergency Management Program Grant program. (Includes annually attending a 16 hour DEM course and completion of I 100, I 200, I 300, I 400, IS 700 and IS 800). Ability to obtain TCFP Head of Department designation within one year after date of hire.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee frequently is required to stand and walk on various types of surfaces, and constantly is required to reach with hands and arms, bend, kneel, crouch, climb, crawl, twist, and to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to drive a vehicle. The employee must be able to use hands and fingers to write and/or type information into computer and clean and maintain the fire station. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects weighing 20 to 50 pounds, such as fire hoses and other equipment and materials, and occasionally must lift and/or move objects weighing 100 pounds or more with or without the assistance of another officer. The employee must be able to see clearly, with or without vision correction, in close situations, at a distance, and peripherally, and be able to recognize colors and adjust focus. The employee must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, such as walking while pulling the fire hose and watching for dangerous situations and must be prepared to be called upon to perform acts of intense physical exertion during emergency situations.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee regularly is exposed to emergency situations in which there is the possibility of danger or physical injury. The employee must frequently work closely with others as part of a team, and must remain calm and professional in tense, emotionally charged, and stressful situations. The employee is subject to working irregular schedules and overtime on an as-needed basis. The employee occasionally must work under time pressures to meet deadlines and must perform multiple tasks simultaneously (such as safely operating a vehicle, observing situations outside the vehicle, and operating the two-way radio). The employee constantly must present a positive attitude as a role model in the community. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but may be noisy and distracting.

All offers of employment shall be made contingent upon the successful completion of pre-employment background and other screenings, as determined by the City of Brenham. Depending on the requirements of the position, the following background and pre-employment screening(s) may be conducted:

• Criminal Background


• Driver's License History


• Drug Screening


• Physical


• Respirator Medical Evaluation


• Skills Testing for Required Skills/Job Duties


• Employment Verification


• Reference Checks


• Public Safety Background Investigation


• Verification of Education