Fire Chief

Under the general supervision of the City Manager, this position is responsible for the overall management of the Fire and EMS Departments, which have a combined total of approximately seventy (80) employees. This position includes but is not limited to, developing policies and procedures, developing and implementing short-term and long-term department goals, creating and managing budgets, prioritization of needs, and allocation of resources. The Paris Fire Department operates under the auspices of Texas Local Government Code Chapter 143, commonly referred to as Civil Service. Paris/Lamar County EMS is a stand-alone third city service operating under the direction of the Fire Chief. This position interacts regularly with other City departments, other public agencies, other emergency service agencies, community groups, news media and the general public.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Directs, plans, supervises, oversees, implements and organizes the financial management, operations, workflow and maintenance of the Fire and EMS Departments for the protection of life and property, including firefighting, emergency medical services and delivery, fire prevention, fire suppression, and fire investigation. Develops and implements goals, priorities, policies, objectives, standards and procedures relating to the Fire and EMS Departments, including regularly reviewing Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs). Directs ongoing research into new municipal firefighting, fire prevention, fire safety, and fire investigation methods, technologies and trends and recommends implementation of programs and equipment to help the Fire and EMS Departments achieve their objectives more efficiently. Analyzes future personnel staffing needs and develops short and long-term plans to meet those needs with emphasis on retention. Develops and maintains an efficient complaint tracking system for both departments, investigating issues, and responds to concerns. Advises City Manager and Department Heads of departmental issues and solutions to address issues. Works with the Chief of Police and other City and non-City Emergency Management Staff in addressing matters of public safety. Develops and maintains positive relationships with colleagues within the City Departments, peers in other emergency service agencies, minority and other community groups. Develops realistic and fiscally sound budget requests based on program need and monitors budget expenditures to ensure they remain within budget allocation. Works with and attends City Council and other Board and Committee Meetings as needed. Member of and attends conferences and workshops of the Texas Fire Chief Association and Texas Commission of Fire Protection. Oversees the proper procurement of all purchases pursuant to applicable City and State laws. Maintains a regular and predictable work schedule. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: Education and/or Experience – A minimum of an associate degree in fire science, criminal justice, public administration, or related field is preferred. Supplemental training in fire administration, fire prevention, fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical service, cause and determination of fires, fire inspections, NIMS, and federal, state and local fire codes preferred. Must have a minimum of ten (10) years' experience in fire suppression and prevention with progressively responsible experience in a variety of fire functions and at least five (5) years of fire command experience as an Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Battalion Chief or higher rank is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for some of the above. Computer Skills – Microsoft Internet Explorer and other internet-based search engines; Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software; Microsoft Outlook; Microsoft Word processing software; Microsoft Powerpoint; and Laserfiche document storage and retrieval software.

Physical Demands: Physical ability to lift 10-20 pounds; Must be able to sit for long periods of time; Sensory demands typically require speaking, hearing touching and seeing; Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or other office equipment; Requires occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching and pushing or pulling drawers to retrieve files; Must have visual acuity to endure eye strain of working on a computer for extended periods of time; Must be able to hear; Mobility required to inspect work of staff; Physical mobility needed for moving around a worksite for the purpose of monitoring quality of work.

Work Environment: Employee works in an office setting but must occasionally go out into the field to respond to complaints or inspect work of staff; Must interact with upset citizens or on occasion; Office climate is moderate; however in the field work temperatures can range from extreme hot to extreme cold; During, but not limited to, fire incidents, employee may be required to work outdoors, in fire scenes, around siren noise and moving vehicles, and walking on uneven or slippery surfaces; The position may require working around chemicals, blood and other potential hazardous exposures; The position may require working in hazardous, dangerous, and/or stressful situations.

TO APPLY: Applications should be completed and submitted to the City of Paris, Finance Office, 135 1st S.E. Applications are available in the City's Finance Office and on this website. Submission via email accepted at scollard@paristexas.gov.

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled