Deputy Fire Chief

Join our City of Oak Harbor team to help build a legacy of commitment to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion in our vibrant waterfront community.

Work activities involve multiple skills and may include, but are not limited to, any of the following depending on area of assignment, crew needs, emergency services, special projects, and seasonal factors.
 

1. Plan, organize and manage operations, investigations, and support assignments such as pre-incident planning.
2. Coordinate and perform program development/oversight, write technical specifications, and initiate or recommend new methods, procedures, or equipment to improve working conditions and overall departmental operations.
3. Oversee the management of emergencies using industry standards of incident command, as necessary.  Direct crews as to proper emergency methods and coordinates the efforts of assigned personnel to maximize operational efficiency and safety.   Summon additional resources and support agencies, as needed, to manage an emergency, and is responsible for emergency incident reporting and debriefing.
4. Supervise shift officers, assign work, set priorities, and initiate or recommend personnel actions such as transfers, discipline, promotions, and discharges.  Assist personnel in solving work problems, such as scheduling conflicts and emergencies, review reports written by supervised personnel for content and accuracy and monitor personnel performance and conduct performance appraisals. 
5. Investigate accidents, incidents, and unsafe acts of employees.  
6. Ensure development and review of safety best practices for the department. 
7. Coordinate with Shift Officers to provide consistency in department programs, goals and objectives.  Interprets and enforces City policies and departmental rules and regulations.  Assist with and/or is responsible for development of performance standards, departmental policies, and procedures for areas of assigned responsibility.
8. Conduct inspections of department personnel, quarters, equipment, and records; reviews and reports on drills assigned to his or her command.
9. Coordinate promotional testing and assessments as needed. 
10. Perform budget and financial administration, plan, inspect for quality control, coordinate with other agencies,; may work with confidential information.
11. Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with City officials, department heads, co-workers, supervisor, and other City departments, and to interact with outside agencies and the public using good judgment in a courteous and helpful manner, sometimes in stressful situations.
12. Maintain frequent contact with the public, City staff, public officials, and emergency response providers for the purpose of problem resolution, providing information and coordinating mutual efforts.
13. Attend meetings, seminars, schools and/or training sessions to keep abreast of modern fire service training and techniques.
14. As assigned, carry out the duties of the Fire Chief.  

• Perform other related duties as required.
• Attend various workshops, continuing education, meetings, seminars, and conferences.
• When necessary, perform the tasks and duties of a firefighter. 

• Principles, practices and operational aspects of fire prevention/suppression and emergency management and demonstrated competency in Incident Command system.
• Modern emergency methods and equipment.
• City and County geography and location of principal hazards.
• Learn complex technical Department, City, State and Federal rules, laws, codes, ordinances, methods, and contractual requirements related to areas of assigned responsibility. 
• Building construction and fire protection/alerting systems, as applied to fire prevention/suppression.
• Learn fiscal and records management including cost analysis, budget analysis and development.
• Current techniques and data regarding firefighting and emergency medical procedures. 
• English, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, punctuation and mathematics.

• Management, leadership/supervisory skills, problem analysis, decision making, planning, organizing, management control, interpersonal sensitivity, adaptability/flexibility, stress tolerance and time management.
• Oral communication for working with a diversity of personnel, public officials, and citizens.  Ability to write effectively and with clarity.
• Interpersonal sensitivity to work effectively with employees and the public.

• Direct efforts of firefighters under emergency conditions to maximize safety and minimize injuries and loss of property.
• Conduct training sessions. 
• Understand and use highly technical equipment/systems like radios, computer/radio networks, personal computers, and associated support applications.
• Maintain confidentiality.

An equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. 

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in fire science, fire administration, public administration, business or a related field supplemented with related training from the National Fire Academy or other courses in fire and emergency services.
• Ten (10)  years of increasingly responsible fire suppression and EMS experience including two (2) years of supervisory experience at the rank of Battalion Chief or an equivalent mid-level management position.
• Must meet NFPA standard 1021 for Fire Officer II or compatible, as determined by the Chief. 
• Washington State EMT-Basic or Higher or National Registry. 
• Valid driver's license.
• Must pass comprehensive background investigation including criminal history, education, employment, professional references, and driving record abstract verification with a good driving record.
• Conditional employment offer will include medical examination with pre-employment drug screen and psychological evaluation for aptitude to work in fire service.

• Master’s degree.
• NFPA Fire Officer III Executive Fire Officer or Chief Fire Officer Designation

The physical demands and characteristics of the work environment described here are representative of those occurring in the performance of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.
 
Work is performed in a variety of settings including offices, a fire station, emergency scene, and emergency response vehicle; and the work may involve off-duty recall for major emergencies.  The environment ranges from routine to the emergency setting with unusual modes of communication, extreme noise, discomfort, and hazard.  The emergency environment may require the management/performance of hazardous tasks under conditions that require strenuous exertion with limited visibility and the physical ability to climb ladders, carry fire hose, lift patients and wear Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)  in addition to exposure to hazardous or toxic chemicals and gases, extremes in temperature, cramped surroundings, exposed heights, and infectious diseases.  The work may require the ability to lift and move objects up to one hundred (100) pounds. 

Safety Statement:
We expect employees to ensure compliance with all applicable safety practices and policies, including those established by OSHA/DOSH regulations and the City’s Accident Prevention Program (APP). This includes, but is not limited to, actively identifying, and correcting potential hazards that may affect employee and public safety, including those identified by co-workers. Leading by example to promote a positive culture of workplace safety through everyday action, emphasizing safe completion of work throughout all aspects of developing and carrying out work plans.

The City of Oak Harbor is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability or any other status protected by law.