JOB DESCRIPTION

ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHAL FIRE DEPARTMENT Human Resources Department 700 Town Center Drive, Suite 200 Newport News, VA 23606 NEWPORT NEWS, VA Phone: (757) 926-1800 CITY OF OPPORTUNITY Fax: (757) 926-1825

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Under general supervision, this position is responsible for performing skilled technical work in the areas of fire and hazard investigations, fire prevention, code enforcement, and safety. Reports to the Deputy Fire Marshal.

There are two (2) levels of Assistant Fire Marshal distinguished by the level of work performed and the qualifications of the employee.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Conducts 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; documents field observations including photos of fire scene, interviewing witnesses, suspects, and complainants; collects and preserves materials and evidence; maintains chain of custody; requests laboratory analysis of materials; analyzes data gathered from investigation; develops motives and pursues leads; prepares various files and records to include investigative case files; testifies in court.

May be responsible for the effective supervision of Bureau staff to include prioritizing and assigning work, staff organization and development, performance management, employee relations, and related activities.

Plans, schedules, and determines the scope and detail of inspections of residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, and building and occupancies; conducts field inspections to ensure fire safety and compliance with fire and other related codes and standards; coordinates inspections and discusses findings and recommendations with other city or state agencies as appropriate; and confers with codes 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 and summonses to court for non-compliance; conducts follow-up inspections to ensure corrective action is taken. Evaluates, approves and issues permits for fire-related activities and operations and the manufacture, storage and use of explosive substances and devices as required and in accordance with fire and other related codes and standards; inspects and monitors such activities.

Conducts internal investigations of incidents involving the Fire Department and its employees; gathers data necessary to determine if incident indicates City and/or Department policy violations, or potential civil or criminal liability; prepares reports and advises Fire Chief and other parties involved of required or recommended actions as appropriate.

Page 1 of 4 Revised: 08/01/2020 Conducts presentations to various groups including schools, civic, business and other organizations concerning fire prevention, education and other related technical matters; provides job-related training at the Police and Fire Academies, auxiliary classes, in-services training and State-level classes.

Interprets fire and building codes in response to inquiries from architects, engineers, contractors and the general public; reviews plans, specifications, or other issues. Condemns property as a temporary crime or fire abatement measure.

May respond to fire or EMS calls and assist with various fire suppression and incident command activities as necessary.

Performs other duties as assigned.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD

Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the organization through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s Values. Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE

 Fire Prevention - Knowledge of the principles and practices of fire prevention including inspection, hazard types and causes, and elimination of hazardous conditions. Knowledge of fire suppression and emergency response principles and practices to include fire behavior, strategy and tactics, and incident command activities. Knowledge of local, state, and national codes, laws, and ordinances relating to code enforcement. Knowledge of building, electrical, and mechanical codes to include principles and practices of building construction as it pertains to fire safety.  Investigations – Thorough knowledge of fire and criminal investigation principles and practices, including court opinions and interpretations of law, and appropriate documentation and evidence collection techniques. Thorough knowledge of court preparation and trial procedures, judicial parameters and appropriate courtroom demeanor relating to the presentation of expert testimony.  Supervision – Knowledge of leadership techniques, principles and procedures to assign work, schedule, supervise, train, and evaluate the work of assigned staff.  Safety/Security – Knowledge of the proper use, storage, and handling of hazardous materials and waste, and explosive materials and devices.  Customer Service – Thorough knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer services. This includes setting and meeting quality standards for services and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

REQUIRED SKILLS

 Interpersonal Relationships – Develops and maintains cooperative and professional relationships with employees, managers, and representatives from other departments and organizations. Shares knowledge with staff for mutual and departmental benefit.  Judgment/Decision Making — Evaluates the best method of research and then exercises appropriate judgment in establishing priorities and resolving complex matters. Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

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REQUIRED ABILITIES

 Coordination of Work – Ability to establish and implement effective administrative programs and procedures. Ability to plan and organize daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. May perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.  Communication – Ability to communicate effectively, including the preparation of reports and logs, the use of radio communications including channels and basic radio communication codes, testifying in court, and giving presentations to various groups or professional organizations. Ability to listen and understand directions, information and ideas presented verbally and in writing. Ability to handle a variety of customer service issues with tact and diplomacy in a confidential manner.  Geography — Ability to read maps, basic plans and diagrams such as evacuation or building floor plans.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Assistant Fire Marshal I - Requires an Associate's Degree with an emphasis in Fire Science, Criminal Justice or a related field and 3-4 years of experience in fire suppression, criminal investigations or fire prevention and inspection, or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Some experience as a lead worker or supervisor preferred. Assistant Fire Marshal II - Requires an Associate's Degree with an emphasis in Fire Science, Criminal Justice or a related field and 5 years of experience in fire suppression, criminal investigations or fire prevention and inspection, with 1-2 years of lead or supervisory experience, or any equivalent combination of education and experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Requires a comprehensive background investigation to include a local, state and federal criminal history check and sex offender registry check.

Requires satisfactory results from a medical evaluation and pre-employment substance abuse testing and is subject to random controlled substance testing.

A valid Virginia’s driver’s license with an acceptable driving record. Employees are required to refrain from the use of tobacco.

Assistant Fire Marshal I – Must obtain current Commonwealth of Virginia Fire Investigator 1033 and Fire Inspector 1031 certifications and current Basic Law Enforcement Certification through an approved Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy (or reciprocity through Virginia) within twenty-four (24) months of placement. Current law enforcement certification through the Virginia Department of Fire Programs Fire Marshal Academy may substitute for the Basic Law Enforcement Certification noted above. Must obtain and maintain all certifications for Assistant Fire Marshal as required by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the Core Modules through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development within twenty-four (24) months of date of placement.

Page 3 of 4 Revised: 08/01/2020 Assistant Fire Marshal II - Must obtain current Commonwealth of Virginia Fire Investigator 1033 and Fire Inspector 1031 certifications and current Basic Law Enforcement Certification through an approved Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy (or reciprocity through Virginia) within twenty-four (24) months of placement. Current law enforcement certification through the Virginia Department of Fire Programs Fire Marshal Academy may substitute for the Basic Law Enforcement Certification noted above. Must obtain and maintain all certifications for Assistant Fire Marshal as required by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the Core Modules through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development within twenty-four (24) months of date of placement.

Must meet and maintain federal, state and local requirements to carry a firearm. This position requires being on-call, on a rotational basis, after normal work hours for emergency recall, while on-call there is a 60-minute response requirement, utilizing non-emergency driving methods.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

 Tasks require the ability to exert moderate, though not constant physical effort.  Some combination of climbing and balancing to include climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling.  Some lifting to include overhead lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (20-50 pounds).

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS

 Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odors, depth, textures, and visual cues or signals.  Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES

Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, weather, fumes, smoke, temperature and noise extremes, hazardous materials, fire, traffic hazards, toxic agents, explosives, firearms, violence, disease or rude/irate persons.

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